Second Chances
by Cybergades
Summary: 10 years of war have left the leaf a wasteland. With the help of the Kyuubi, Naruto will travel back in time to right the wrongs and save the leaf. NaruHina.
1. Many Regrets

**Author Notes:**

Ok I am hoping that people actually read the author notes for this story before you read it otherwise I'm sure I will get some very interesting e-mails and reviews telling me how I ripped of somebody else's work. (god knows I do not always read them when I start a story)

For those of you who have already started reading this story let me just apologize right now for rushing head first without thinking things through carefully. After getting a few good reviews and a few rather bad reviews I have decided to rewrite the first 3 chapters of the story and completely remove any of the text from the other stories I mention below. While I still will be using a lot of the same concepts and perhaps even some of the same ideas I will be writing everything in my own words completely instead of using pieces of theirs along with pieces of mine. In the end I believe the story will be all the better for it as it will be far more unique and it of course the big advantage is I will not have to listen to the odd person whine about how I am taking advantage of other authors. So I hope you all continue to read this story and enjoy it. Understand that while the first several chapters will bare a lot of similarities to their source story that once we get past the genin tests things will start changing a lot more.

Let me start by saying that this story is a compilation of 3 stories that I have read here on I have decided to rewrite these stories, taking the concepts and themes from each along with some of my own ideas and melding them together into a brand new story. Obviously by nature of what I am doing it will bare a lot of similarities in many spots to the 3 source files but I do not think it will be repetitive. Read along and let me know what you think, make suggestions, and we will see what comes of this. So before anybody tells me that I'm trying to pass this work off as being mine and being 100 original please think about what I said here.

So with all that said let me give credit where credit is due. The three stories that I am taking content and inspiration from are "The Hyuuga way" by Edric Loto, "The Person I Admire" by Gadalla Rune, and last but certainly not least "For the Love of My Friends" by Foxie-Sama. I highly suggest checking out the writings of all three of their authors.

So without further pause, I hope you enjoy **SECOND CHANCES

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**Second Chances**

Chapter One: Many Regrets

by Cybergades

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For generations the hidden village of the Leaf had been considered one of the most peaceful and beautiful villages in all the world. The strength of it's ninja's was known by all and nobody ever considered that the day would come when the village fell and certainly not at the hands of one of it's own ninja. A ninja who was once considered to one of Konoha's greatest allies and defenders.

Yet for the past 9 years Konoha has been under constant attack by one such ninja. The once legendary Sannin known as Orochimaru had laid siege to the great city of Konoha in attempt to invade it during the Chuunin exams just over 9 years ago. While the invasion failed the damage was done. Orochimaru succeed in killed the third Hokage Sarutobi and escaped with his life. Seeing that he had successfully weakened the leaf with his assault, Orochimaru continued to raid the village and it's ninjas while on missions for the next several years leading to it's forces being further weakened and making way for the Sound leaders final invasion attempt nearly 4 years to the day of the first.

With it's forces weakened and the city still under repair from the first attack the leaf was unable to repel the second invasion attempt and the Sound gained a powerful foothold in their territory. It has been nearly 5 years since Orochimaru successfully gained a foothold within the leaf and things have never looked worse for the once proud village. Nearly half of Konoha was held by the Orochimaru and his Sound forces. Those parts of the city still held by the leaf were a wasteland from constant bombardments and battles.

Naruto Sat alone overtop of the Hokage monument and looked out over his once beautiful village. There was nothing but death and destruction for as far as the eye could see. Even the parts still occupied by the leaf were in ruins, garbage and debris everywhere. He was finally ready to admit to himself that the leaf was lost. Even so he refused to leave his home, he and his fellow ninja would stay until the very end. They would make the Sound pay for every inch of land they took, and they would pay for it with their blood.

The leafs numbers were dwindling fast. They had evacuated the village civilian population last month, or at least what was left of it. Near four thousand people were evacuated through the escape tunnels in the Hokage monument that Naruto sat upon now. Four thousand out of the once eighteen thousand. Of the near two thousand ninja that the leaf had at the start of the war roughly three hundred remained. Three hundred ninja to stand their ground and bloody the sound as much as they could, to make them rue the day that they set foot in Konoha. Naruto was among those three hundred and he more then anybody else wanted revenge for the lives of his friends. So many of his precious people were gone now including the most important person of them all.

"Oh Hinata, how could you do something so stupid. Why did you have to save me at the cost of your own life." Naruto looked out over the village again as the sun was setting and began to cry. It had been years since he showed any real emotion. He always had a strong mask over his feelings pretending to always be happy and upbeat to try and keep everybody's sprits up. But not now. He had killed Hinata, His recklessness had resulted in the loss of her life and all because he had to rush in head first without thinking like he always did. Naruto continued to cry as he ran through the events of the past week in his mind.

_Naruto looked over his strike team once more making sure that everybody was prepared for what they were about to do. Their intelligence was telling them that Kabuto was leading a large strike team of chuunin around their flank to try and break through their lines and seize more of the city for his master Orochimaru. Naruto's team was going to surprise them with an ambush and with a little luck kill Kabuto in the process. _

"_Ok does everybody understand the missing" Naruto asked. "Hai!, The springtime of youth shall not fail us my friend. We shall have a great victory over our enemies." Said Lee. Tenten and Neji just nodded their agreement while the other Anbu members did the same._

"_Alright then lets head out. Its time to kick some Sound ass, and I for one am looking forward to bringing Kabuto's head back on a silver platter." Naruto said while the others shouted their agreement. "No really I am, Look I got the platter right here." Naruto said as he produced a platter out of his pack. The others laughed and then they were on their way._

_An hour later they were setup waiting in ambush for Kabuto and his gang. Waiting to get some revenge for the lives of their fallen comrades. Naruto Gritted his team and flexed his hand as he waited for Kabuto to approach. He wanted to badly to be the one who killed Kabuto. It was largely his fault that things had gone the way they had. He had played a large part in capturing Sasuke 9 years ago, and had continued to be instrumental in the war that occurred afterward. Oh sure Konoha had been able to repel the first attack but the sneak attack had results in a lot of damage and a lot of deaths. Konoha was weakened by the attack and that was when Orochimaru decided that he would commit himself fully to bringing down the leaf. Again and again over the years he attacked and influenced others to attack the leaf as well. Each attack left the hidden village weaker. Naruto wanted more then anything to pay them all back for what they had done to his homeland. He would kill Kabuto with his own hands and then leave his body for Orochimaru to find, Minus the head of course which he fully intended to bring back to show everybody their victory._

_Neji tapped Naruto on the shoulder to gain his attention. "Their headed this way Naruto, No more then 500 feet in front of us now." Naruto raised his hand and gave the signal to hold, He waited a few more moments for the group of invaders to get into position and then with a single command the strike team fell on Kabuto and his gang and began the attack._

_Not to long after the fight began Naruto found his way to Kabuto who looked at him with a wicked smile and said "Ah Naruto-san it is good to see you again. Such a terrible thing what's happening to the Leaf is it not. Perhaps if you could convince the Hokage to surrender things would be much easier on you all." Naruto looked at Kabuto and laughed. "That's so kind of you Kabuto but I think I would just rather kill you and take my chance with that snake bastard boss of yours. I got a few choice words I like to shove in his face before I rip his head off."_

_Kabuto Smiled at Naruto and then pushed up his glassed and removed a kunai from his pouch. "Very well then why don't the two of us relocate to somewhere more suited for our battle. I would hate for one of your little friends to spoil our fight by interfering. That is of course unless you are afraid to fight me by yourself." Naruto Sneered at Kabuto " Fuck you Kabuto. Your nothing but a low life Trader. I can kick your ass all over Konoha by myself. I don't need my team to do it for me. Let's move if that's what you want. Consider it your final request before I cut your fucking head off and feed you to the sneaks." And with that the two took off from their teams to a more secluded area where they could be alone without the fear of interference. The two arrived at one of the few remaining unoccupied training grounds within minutes._

"_Well you were so kind as to offer me a final request I guess I should do the same for you Naruto." Said Kabuto "The only request I have is for you to die as painfully as possible." Yelled Naruto. Naruto Performed some seals and Yelled "kage bushin no jutsu". Instantly 10 clones appeared around Naruto. Each removed a kunai from their pouch and with that they charged at Kabuto. Kabuto smiled and whispered to himself "so predictable. He never thinks, just charges. That will be your downfall Naruto." Kabuto Laughed and charged at the clones who were quickly approaching. Within seconds they were tangled up in the heat of battle. The clones were flipping and sliding at Kabuto from all directions while the Sound nin almost casually removed them one by one. Kabuto turned and dispatched the last of the Clones only to see the real Naruto mere inches away from him. Naruto slammed his fist into Kabuto's face and then followed it up by doing a back flip and catching Kabuto under the chin with his foot. Kabuto went flying backwards head over heals to land on his stomach several feet away. He slowly stood up whipping the blood from his broken lip and laughed. "That's very good Naruto. You have gotten better over the years. And here I was thinking it would be boring fighting you. At least I will get some amusement from this fight." With that Kabuto performed several seals. "Mystical Palm Technique". Instantly Kabuto's hand glowed blue with chakra as he formed his chakra scalpels and charged at Naruto again. _

_Naruto was all to familiar with Kabuto's favorite Jutsu and was quick to call on some reinforcements. After performing the needed seals and saying the words once again he was flanked by 20 Clones. 10 on either side. The clones wasted know time and got into battle position. They charged at Kabuto and began the attack. One of the clones slid at Kabuto trying to knock him off his feet while another jumped into the air to take him from above. Kabuto Jumped above the first clone and spun in the air tagging both clones and watching as they burst in a puff of smoke. He landed on the ground and immediately parried an attack from another Clone and hitting him on the back of the neck. In less then a minute all the clones were gone and Kabuto laughed at Naruto. "Is this the best you have for me Naruto. I really expected more from an Anbu. I guess the leafs standards have really fallen since the siege started. They'll make anybody an Anbu these days." Naruto cursed and created more clones. He ran at Kabuto. "We'll see whose laughing when this fight is over you bastard." Naruto yelled. _

_The battle continued like that for nearly an hour. Back and forth they traded blows. Both parties using all their best moves to try and gain the upper hand. It seemed like the battle was going to go on forever. _

_Naruto charged Kabuto with his clones thinking that he was unaware of his approach from behind. He prepared to use his Naruto Rendan Attack sending out his clones to get Kabuto in the air._

"_That's it, charge at me like you always do. You are just to predictable Naruto." Kabuto whispered to himself as he removed a kunai from his pouch and poured a dark liquid over the blade. Kabuto continued to fight with the clones in front of him pretending not to notice the 3 clones coming from behind. He waited for Naruto to approach and quickly dispatched the remaining clones in front of him before being swept off his feet by the first clone from behind. He smiled inwardly and continued to play his little game as Naruto obliviously continued his attack, charging straight to his death. Another clone slid underneath Kabuto and kicked him into the air followed by another attack from yet another clone. "Uzumaki Naruto Rendan" the real Naruto yelled as he slammed his foot into Kabuto and sent him flying towards the ground. _

_Kabuto smiled just as Naruto was about to kick him back towards the ground. He threw the blade right at Naruto's chest who was taken completely by surprise and unable to do anything but avoid a fatal blow. He slightly deflected the blade lodging it in his right shoulder instead of his chest. _

_Naruto Cursed as he landed and pulled the blade from his shoulder. He charged at Kabuto again who was staggering to his feet unaware that Naruto was even still alive. He turned in time to see Naruto slam the Rasengan towards him in an almost lazy manner. That combined with Kabuto's quick reflexes allowed him to avoid a direct hit and instead was hit in the side and sent spinning to the left into the dirt._

_Kabuto slowly crawled to his feet and smiled despite the blood flowing freely from the wound in his left side. He formed a few seals and instantly his wound began to heal. Next he popped a pill in his mouth to replenish his blood supply. "What's wrong Naruto. Feeling a little tired, maybe that arm of yours is bothering you. It's amazing what a little poison can do. This battle is as good as over now. You'll be dead within an hour. And there is nothing the Kyuubi can do about it. After all he may be able to heal your wounds but he can't remove the poison." Kabuto laughed and began to walk away as Naruto fell to the ground._

"_Where the fuck do you think your going" Naruto yelled as he forced himself up. Kabuto turned around just in time to see 3 Naruto Clones Tackle him to the ground. His wound still not completely healed was troubling him and so it took him a moment to rid himself of the clones. This time was all that Naruto Needed to summon the last of his strength and charge one last time at Kabuto. Jumping into the air he summoned the Rasengan and descended from above. Just as he dispatched the last clone Kabuto heard Naruto scream "Rasengan" and looked up to see Naruto bury the swirling ball of energy into his chest. He continued to pump more and more chakra into the Rasengan as Kabuto screamed in pain. Within Seconds Naruto had driven his hand through Kabuto's chest leaving him dead on the ground, his blood spilling out around him._

_Naruto stood slowly, His vision blurring as he pulled his hand from Kabuto's chest with a sickening sound. He shook his head to clear his mind of the fog that surrounded his thoughts and stumbled forward dragging Kabuto's body behind him. He was not going to risk Orochimaru finding some way to bring him back. He would take him with them and burn the body. Let everybody know that he was the one that killed the bastard. He continued back towards where he left his team. He cursed as he felt his legs beginning to go numb and feel to the ground. He knew it would not be long now. Death would take him but it didn't seem to matter anymore. "At least I Killed that bastard. Perhaps this will help the leaf survive." Naruto said. And he closed his eyes to await the end._

_Tenten ran towards Naruto as he saw him fall. She quickly picked knelt beside him and checked for a pulse. He was alive, barely. "Naruto, Naruto can you hear me. Its Tenten. Open your eyes." Naruto opened his eyes slowly and looked up at the women standing above him. Her image swam in front of him. He had to fight hard to focus the image before realizing who it was. "Tenten, I'm glad to see your alive. Is everybody okay? Did you see me get that bastard? I killed him good." Naruto Smiled and closed his eyes again. It hurt to much to keep them open. Neji and Lee arrived and bent beside Tenten. Tenten smiled faintly "Yes Naruto. The springtime of Youth served you well." Said lee "We all saw you kill him. Just rest." Said Tenten "The mission was a success, No casualties on our side. Were heading back to Head Quarters Now." said Neji as he helped Tenten pick up Naruto while Lee grabbed Kabuto's body. That was the last thing Naruto Remembered until he woke up at Head Quarters. He had blacked out a few seconds later._

_Tenten and Neji had brought him back to head quarters near dead. They lied him down on a bed and went to get Tsunade. Instead they found Hinata and Sakura. Tsunade was in another part of the city. They sent somebody for her while Hinata and Sakura went to Naruto's side. _

_After a short examination Sakura told them that there was nothing they could do. The poison would have to be drawn out to save him but with the time left and the strength of the poison it would probably kill whoever did it. Hinata ignored Sakura and began the procedure. Sakura tried to stop her only to be held back by Neji. "She needs to do this Sakura. You know how she feels for him. She would never forgive herself if she let him die without trying to save him even if the cost was her life." So nobody stopped her. And the procedure was a success. The poison was drawn out of his body and the Kyuubi healed the damage. An hour later Hinata died. _

Naruto had woken up a few hours ago and was incredibly surprised. He was alive. He was certain he was going to die and yet here he was alive. The first thought through his mind was Tsunade must have healed him. Only she could pull something like this off. Sleeping at the side of his bed was Sakura. Her head resting on the bed. She had awoken when she felt him move and he smiled brightly at her as he always did. He had asked her where Tsunade was, he wanted to thank her for saving his life yet again. Sakura just looked down at the floor and told him that it was Hinata that saved him. Naruto laughed. That was even better. He was happy to see she had improved so much with her medical jutsu. He asked Sakura to go get her so that he could thank her properly. Sakura began crying and told Naruto that she had died after removing the poison from him as a result of the procedure. That she had been told it would likely kill her to do it but she had done it anyways. Less then 5 minutes later he had stormed into the briefing room where most of his friends were eating lunch.

He had yelled at all of them, thrown a chair at Neji and punched Lee. He had practically turned the lunch area into a war zone before Tsunade and several others could restrain him. He had swore at all of them, asked them how they could let her throw away her life for his. Was he so much more important then her.

He had made his way up to the Hokage Monument after that leaving everybody at Head Quarters to clean up his mess and talk about how much he had lost it while his friends just shook their heads. They knew he felt guilty even though it was not his fault. She had made the choice, it was hers to make and there was nothing to feel guilty about. Even still they knew that would not stop him from feeling that way. Even if he had not admitted it to himself they all knew that he felt strongly about Hinata. They had become close friends and it always seemed like he felt more for her even though he was too dense to realize it. There was certainly no lack of love from Hinata. She had loved Naruto since the first day she saw him back when they started to academy. She had never been able to tell him how she felt.

Naruto Continued to cry into his hands. He felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest. He could not understand why he felt so lost, so empty inside. It was like he had lost the most perish thing in the world to him, something he would never be able to replace. He just did not understand this feeling he was having. He had other friends die. Shino had been killed years ago in a raid; He had killed Sasuke with his own hands years ago. Or rather Sasuke had killed himself with Naruto's hands. It had always hurt sure, but never like this.

Naruto Startled when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He had not even heard anybody coming up behind him. Not that it was surprising. He was not exactly in the best state of mind right now. the loudest ninja in the world could have walked up behind him and he would not likely have noticed him. He turned to see Neji sitting down beside him. He had a serious look on his face as always but there was sadness in his eyes. It was unusual for Neji to reveal his emotions; it was not something he did often. He was usually able to hide them very well and did so often. Neji looked over at Naruto and began to speak

"Naruto I wanted to explain why I let Hinata try to save you. There are some things I think you should know about her. Things she would have wanted you to know and things that she had never been able to bring herself to tell you. Naruto I was the one that prevented anybody from stopping her. If you wish to hate somebody then hate me. It was my fault but If I had the chance to do it all over again I would do the same thing. I knew it would kill her and so did she. She made the decision and it was hers to make. You have to understand and respect that even if you do not like the outcome."

Naruto looked back over the village. Eyes blank and unseeing. He was right of course. It had been her decision. She would have known the second she looked at him that it was a lost cause. That it would have been a life for a life if she helped him. But she had made that choice. Even though he said he hated everybody for her death the truth was he hated himself more. He would have to learn to accept that it had been his fault that he got poisoned and it had been his fault that she died but he also had to accept the fact that it had been her choice to save him. "I know it was her Choice Neji. That does not make it hurt any less." Neji nodded and continued. "Naruto you have to understand why she did what she did. You see she loved you Naruto. I have a feeling that deep inside you know that is true but you were never able to let yourself see it. You had to be cold and heartless to win this war and so you blocked everything out. But despite that I believe you knew at least subconsciously that she loved you and what's more I think you loved her too." Neji Sighed "She would never have been able to live with herself if she let you die Naruto. She has been watching you and has loved you since the day she first saw you back when you both started at the Academy. She has never seen anybody else but you. At first I could not understand why she liked you so much. You seemed like such a misfit, not worthy of her status but soon I learned otherwise. You have changed my life for the better Naruto and you did the same for her. You supported her and gave her confidence that she never had before. Its because of you that she became the women that she was. I know that she would have wanted you to know that. She would have wanted you to know just how deeply she loved you."

Neji stopped and looked out over the village with Naruto. Just sitting there and waiting for what he knew was to come. He waited for Naruto to yell and scream that he should have stopped her. He waited for him to throw a punch, to drag him bag from the cliff and demand a fight. He waited for the Inevitable. But instead what he got was a thank you. "arigato Neji" Naruto said. He stood up, tears running down his face. "Neji if you do not mind I need to be alone for a while. Thank you for all you've done. I loved her too. I only wish I had been able to tell her." And with that he walked away leaving Neji sitting on the Hokage Monument staring at him in surprise.

Naruto walked out to one of his favorite spots and sat alone again. Neji's words were running through his mind. They hurt so much he could barely keep the tears from coming. How could he have been so blind. There were so many times when it was obvious that she liked him. He had just ignored all the signs and pushed it from his mind and in the end it had gotten her killed.

"So many things have gone wrong" Naruto said to himself. "How could I have let this happen? Me the future Hokage! What am I to be Hokage of now? The leaf is a smoldering mess. The sound occupy the majority of the city, Hinata is dead along with Kakashi, and Jiraiya, and Shino and so many others." He shouted. The tears finally came again as he was unable to stop them. This time he didn't care. He let them come. He needed to let himself feel this pain, feel the loneliness. He had held it all in for so long and it had eaten away at him. So he cried and screamed, and yelled out to the world and then he feel asleep. Tomorrow was another day. He would make them all pay for what they did to Hinata. The leaf was lost to him now but his revenge was at hand. They would learn to fear him like no other. He may not be able to bring her back or any of his friends but he would kill every sound ninja he came across until the day they got him. That was his ninja way.

The next year saw things get even worse then they were before. It seemed that killing Kabuto did nothing to slow the Sound. They continued to advance pushing the leaf ninjas farther and farther into their own village and seizing more of their territory. The numbers continued to dwindle. It was only a matter of time before they crushed the remaining forces of the Leaf and completely took control of Konoha.

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It had been nearly a year since Hinata's death and Naruto was still troubled by the sense of loneliness but more then that he was faced with the very real truth that he would likely outlive all of his friends. The Kyuubi would keep him alive during his battles while his remaining friends died around him. In the last year their forces had fallen from three hundred to twenty nine.

The Hokage had ordered them all to retreat three weeks ago saying that she would stay behind and kill as many of their enemy as she could. She would make them pay for the death of all their brothers and sisters. It seemed that the rest of the ninja agreed with her choice of action and decided to stay as well. When she told them it was an order that they leave, their response was that Konoha was no more and thus they had no more orders to follow. The only orders that remained were orders from the heart and their hearts all screamed the same thing. **REVENGE**. Their was no way they would save Konoha now. Now all they had was revenge. Kill as many as they could before they were crushed.

Naruto approached the last remaining holdfast of the leaf, their current makeshift headquarters. It was a rickety old building that sat against the base of the Hokage monument. It was the last place that anybody would think to find them as it looked about as run down as the rest of the buildings in the leaf but it worked just as well for their needs.

It had been three days since he was last here. He had been out on another mission. The 7th one this month and the month was not even done yet. He had become more and more reckless over the past several months. Both Sakura and Tsunade had tried to get him to be more careful saying that he was constantly coming back with deep cuts, broken bones and severe burns.

Naruto just laughed at them each time telling them that they worried to much. The Kyuubi would keep him alive he told them and in the mean time his recklessness was allowing him to kill lots of sound ninja. That of course was a fact that everybody could tell easily enough. Every time he returned he was covered in blood which was obviously not his. he would walk in, take a shower, grab something to eat and then immediately demand another mission. It was a never ending cycle.

Today of course was no different he told himself as he opened the door and stepped inside. He they were a mere twenty nine now. the sound was getting closer to them. He figured it would only be another month or two before he was the last one standing. He wanted to get as many of them as he could.

Naruto slowly walked down the hall on his way to see Shikamaru, he wanted to report the success of his raid and get another one assigned. He saw Sakura and tried to rush ahead to avoid the lecture that he knew was coming but of course she stopped him. "Damn it Naruto, I told you to take it easy. How many times do I have to tell you to slow down and think things through before you jump. Look at you, you're a mess." Yelled Sakura. Naruto laughed "You just worry to much Sakura, you know I'm not going to die. At least not before the rest of you. The Kyuubi will see to that unfortunately." And with that he continued on his way, leaving Sakura to worry alone about her friend.

Naruto headed down the hall to where Shikamaru would be sitting reviewing maps and data like he always did. It was a wonder that he did not complain more often about how troublesome this war was. He laughed at the thought and opened the door.

"Hey Shika, how's it shaking. I figured I would come and check in. Let you know that I got me 12 sound junnin" said Naruto. The Nara looked at him with lazy eyes "This war is so troublesome." Said Shikamaru. "At least you seem to be winning your battles. Maybe you could give some pointers to the rest of our ninja's because it seems that most of us are just getting our asses kicked." Naruto laughed. "Not everybody can be as good as I am Shika. Got anymore raids for me." Shikamaru shook his head. "yeah I got one but not until you go see the Hokage. She has been bitching at me about letting you go out constantly on these raids. Its just too troublesome to put up with so until you deal with her I'm staying out of it." The Nara said as he turned around to face his wife.

Naruto smiled. Who would have thought that Shikamaru would get married, and to Ino of all people. You would have thought that would have been the most troublesome thing of all. But he seemed to be fine with it. Love, what a strange thing Naruto mussed not for the first time. Naruto got up and headed out the door content to leave the two of them alone to their mushy romance. His heart was not suited for that stuff anymore. Just looking at it reminded him of her. He shook his head and proceeded outside the room to find the Hokage. He needed to get another raid to take his mind of things. It would not due to be thinking about this stuff now. he never wanted to think about any of them again, it just hurt to much.

Naruto Passed by Kiba and Lee on his way to the Hokage's make shift office at the back of the house and laughed at the scene folding out in front of him. Here was Sakura lecturing them just like she lectured him. And Lee of course followed up by begging for forgiveness and flirting endlessly with Sakura as he always did. His old friend has gotten used to the bushy browed ninjas antics over the years and found it sweet as well as funny now instead of embarrassing followed by Kiba yelling at Lee for volunteering his services. At least he still found some things amusing to some extent. The more things change the more they stay the same he said to himself. Kiba was still a hot head and Lee was still obsessed with Sakura. He continued on his way leaving Sakura to deal with the two of them.

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Shikamaru stared at his pregnant wife. It was a cruel world he realized. She was a mere 4 months pregnant and every bit of his intuition was telling him that they would not last another 2 months here. He would loose his own life along with the life of his wife and unborn child and their was nothing any of them could do about it. He had tried to send her away when he found out she was with child. But of course she would hear none of that. She was a ninja just like him and she would not run from the people who had killed her family and friends and destroyed her life. The world was going to hell in a hand basket she had said, what does it matter if I die here with you now or along with our child a few years from now.

He could never truly argue with her on that point or any others. she always seemed to win despite his superior reasoning skills. Shikamaru got up and sat behind his wife gently leaning her against his chest like he always did. Ino smiled and relaxed against him. She had not been sleeping well lately and was quite tired, only every able to sleep peacefully when he was there holding her.

Shikamaru looked once again at his wife, his fear rising inside him as he thought about the end. He decided he would beg her one last time to leave, to get away from here now and give their child a chance at life. He sucked in a breath and dived in. "Ino…" Ino looked up at him and smiled. "yes dear". She laughed, he hated it when she called him that. "Ino I want to you leave Konoha. The end is near now and you know it. I want our child to have a chance at life."

Ino's smile instantly turned into a frown and she sat up suddenly not wanting to be leaning against her husband. "I told you I'm not leaving and that's final. There is nothing you can say or do that could possibly make me leave. This is my home as much as it is anybody else's. I want revenge for what they did as much as you." She yelled. Shikamaru breathed heavily. She was so stubborn.

"That's true but you can not even go out on missions anymore. At best you can hope to kill a few of them before they take you when the end comes. And even that's a maybe. You are not exactly in the best shape to fight right now Ino. For once in your life be reasonable." Ino sighed. She knew he was right but she didn't want to leave him. She surrendered herself to her fate, it was time to leave. They had given this child life and now its life had to come first no matter how much it hurt. But perhaps she could convince the Hokage to get Shikamaru to leave with her. She decided she would go see her right away. "Alright Shikamaru but only if you come with me. You own this child your life as much as I do. If I must leave my revenge behind then so must you. We will go together to the Hokage and get her to let us leave."

Shikamaru sighed. It was so troublesome. She had him and he knew it and all the advanced intellect in the world was not going to be able to get him out of this situation. "Very well. Lets go." And with that they stood and headed for the Hokage.

* * *

Naruto approached the Hokage's office and brisk pace wanting to get this over with as quick as possible. It always seemed that the old women treated him like a kid still despite his age. He was 22 years old now and she still treated him like he was 12. He supposed she just felt overly protective of him because he reminded her of her little brother and her husband so much but even still it annoyed Naruto to no end.

He entered the office and threw himself into the chair in front of her desk as he always did. "What the hell do you want now Obaa-chan. I'm trying to get another mission here and your stopping me so hurry up and lecture me already so I can get back out their and kill me some more snakes." Yelled Naruto. Tsunade looked at him and shook her head. He was always like this. Not really abusive but loud. He hated that she tried to restrain him a bit and she hated watching him through himself into harms way all the time. They never seemed to see eye to eye on this matter. "I think its time you take a break for a few days Naruto. You have been at it for nearly a month straight. You have been on raid after raid without spending more then a few hours in between here at headquarters relaxing. Your going to get yourself killed and the rest of us do not want to see you gone so soon." Tsunade said in a motherly tone.

Naruto glared at her. Did she really think he was going to just sit on his hands just because she told him too. If she did she had another thing coming. "Like hell old woman. I'm going back out their weather you like it or not. I am going to kill as many of those bastards as I can before I die and that's a promise. Besides there is nothing here for me anyways." And with that he got up from his chair, turned around and immediately froze in place.

In front of him was the one person he did not think he would ever see again. An old friend of whom he had last seen at Hinata's funeral. He had left with his brother and sister the next day to return to the sand and everybody just assumed that he would not be able to make it back through with the war going so badly.

"Gaara… what… how… I mean when did you get here" stammered Naruto. The red head looked at him with dark eyes and the side of his mouth ever so slightly curled up. "It seems you have some sort of a death wish Uzumaki Naruto. I would have thought you had better sense then that." Said Gaara. Naruto smiled. And moved forward. "Yeah well you know me, I'm not exactly the sharpest kunai in the pouch but I get the job done." Naruto grabbed Gaara and pulled him into an embrace. "it's good to see you my friend. I did not think we would see each other again."

Gaara stiffened at the sensation of being hugged. Naruto was the only person he would allow to do such a thing without immediately killing the person afterwards. Even so he had never quite gotten used to the sensation despite it being a normal part of his Naruto's greeting ritual. "The Hokage tells me that you have some time off now. I decided we would … hang out… as you say it while your still alive." Naruto Laughed at the look on the boys face. He doubted that Gaara had ever just hung out in his entire life. This was probably a ploy put in place by Obaa-chan to get him to relax. Even still he supposed it would be good to relax a little if it meant seeing his friend again. "Yeah apparently I do have a few days off so I supp-"

Naruto was cut off by a knock on the door followed by a very determined looking Ino entering the room, and being dragged behind her was Shikamaru who was just radiating a "this is so troublesome" aura. Ino walked right by Naruto and up to the Hokage's Desk.

"Tsunade I want you to let me and Shikamaru leave through the escape tunnels. Shika insists that I leave for the sake of the child and I agree with him but I refuse to let him off the hock so easily. His lazy ass is going to take care of me and this baby if it is the last thing he does so help me god."

Tsunade smiled. She had wondered when Shikamaru would finally convince Ino to leave and she knew that when he did that there was no way she would leave without Shikamaru. She had been waiting for them to come and had even gone so far as to drop subtle hints here and there that she would let them go if they only asked.

"Well its about time the two of you got your priorities straight. I was beginning to think I was going to have to have Naruto drag your asses out of the city and chain you to a bed at some inn far from here so that you stayed away. But at least you finally came to your senses." Said Tsunade.

Ino blinked surprisingly, well that was easier then she thought it was going to be. If she had known it would be this easy she would have dragged his ass in here weeks ago. She would have to blame Shikamaru for that later, after all there's no way it could be her fault. She was too perfect and besides, its always the mans fault. She laughed. "so you mean you will let us leave?" Ino asked.

"I will do better then that. Naruto you wanted a mission well why don't you and Gaara escort the two of them to the escape tunnels and see to it that they get out of here. Then you can sit back and take a break for a few days."

Naruto smiled. He was happy to see that at least two of his precious people would live on. "sounds like a plan. Just let me get cleaned up and we can leave in a few hours if their ready." Ino looked at him with a smile on her face. Their could be nobody better to escort them to safety. "We'll be ready Naruto. And thank you." She turned to Tsunade "thank you for all you have done Tsunade. I'm sure that you will all sur-" that was as far as she got. At that exact second an explosion rang out from the front of the house and the whole place shook violently. Gaara saw the flames coming down the hall and heard the second explosion to sound in the sleeping quarters of to the left. He had just enough time to grab Naruto, pull him close and wrap them in a shield of sand before the flames engulfed the room and another explosion went off right above them.

Naruto shook in the darkness. What the hell had just happened. He had to be dreaming. Why would their being explosions here. They should never have found them here. They had been careful to hide their base of operations and they hade protected it with several powerful genjutsu. It should not have been possible.

He stayed like that for what seemed like hours but in reality was only a few minutes. Held in place by Gaara and then finally he was released and he tried to escape the prison of sand to get to his friends. He through himself against the wall, slowly breaking it down as the outer layer had been turned to solid glass from the intense heat. What he saw when he emerged on the other side of the barrier made him sick.

Ino laid dead on the ground, burned to a crisp with Shikamaru huddled overtop of her trying to protect her from the heat. Tsunade was likewise burned and impaled to the wall by a piece of wood that had flown loose from the explosions. The rooms were still on fire. Naruto quickly pulled himself together and put out the fires with water jutsus. He frantically ran through the house looking for survivors. He had to find somebody, anybody. He needed to find Sakura. She was the only family he had left now, she had to be alive.

He rushed to front of the building where he had last seen her and began ripping pieces of debris from the floor franticly looking for any sign of the pink haired girl. And then he found her. Pinned beneath several pieces of the ceiling. They had protected her from the fire for all the good it did her. She was barely alive, a long piece of metal piping lodged through her chest. She could tell that she had severe internal damages. Their would be nothing he could do for her. "Hang on Sakura, its ok, your going to be fine. I just need to get this piece of pipe out of you and then I will heal you up good as new. You can count on me right. After all im… the fu-future ho-ho-hok" he couldn't get the rest out, he broke down into tears crying over her. She knew as well as he did that it was useless.

"shhh, shh, it's ok Na-Naruto. I'm fine re-really. i just need to re-rest a bit and then I will be good as new". She smiled at him, blood running out the side of her mouth. She coughed, spraying blood from her mouth. She reached her hand up and cupped his face with it. "I'm sorry I won't be here to comfort you this time". a single tear feel from her eye and rolled down her check, she took one last shaky breath as her hand fell from his face and she breathed no more.

Naruto was beside himself. He felt a deep overwhelming sadness like he had never felt before. Everybody he had ever loved was gone. He was the last surviving leaf ninja and he could not even save his best friend. He raised his head to the sky and let loose a blood curdling scream to the heavens to let them know how he felt about their justice. "AHHHHHHHHHH!!!".

**There is still a possibility that you could bring them back kit.** Said the Kyuubi. Naruto's eyes lit up with anger. _Fuck you, you stupid fox. I wish you were out here right now so I could kick your ass just like the Forth did. You just shut the fuck up_

The Kyuubi chuckled. **Well don't we have quite the temper and such a colorful vocabulary too. **_you want to see colorful, I will show you colorful_ and with that Naruto went into a rant throwing every profane word he could think of at the Kyuubi. By the time he was done he was actually physically yelling at the Kyuubi with Gaara standing behind him wondering what the fox could have possibly said to get him this pissed off.

By this time the Kyuubi was fed up with the young boys antics and snapped at him. **You dare call yourself the future Hokage. A Hokage is supposed to listen to everything and base his decision off of the information at hand. You are nothing but a scared weak little boy. You are a hypocrite.**

_What the fuck to you mean a hypocrite you stupid fox. And I am not scared. I am afraid of nothing. I'll kill every fucking sound ninja out there. I will have my revenge._

**You are a hypocrite because you said you would do anything to save your friends, anything to have them safe and yet when the time comes to do just that you instead think only of yourself and your revenge. You are nothing but a close minded little boy. You could never be a Hokage. The snake Sannin would make a better Hokage then you, at least he is strong. **Barked the Kyuubi knowing the boy would respond to that.

Naruto instantly shut up and paled. How could the fox possibly think that the snake would be a better Hokage. And what did he mean by their being a way to save his friends.

_Ok fox tell me your plan. How do I save them. How do I bring back my precious people. _Asked Naruto in a defeated tone.

The Kyuubi smirked inwardly. He knew that would work. **you don't bring them back. **

_What? You just sa-_

**Shut up and let me finish… You don't bring them back… You simply stop them from ever dieing in the first place.**

Huh? How the hell do I do that. Stop talking in bloody riddles you damn fox.

**Must I spell everything out for you kit. You simply go back and stop the war from ever starting. You stop the snake from invading, stop him from gaining a foothold, simply prevent all the events that led to your downfall. Do that and your friends will live.**

Naruto Blinked. What the hell was the fox talking about. Had that explosion jumbled his non-existent brains or something and made him stupider then he already was. _And how in the hell am I supposed to go back in time and stop all this from happening Mr. I'm the big bad fox that knows it all._

**Did they teach you nothing in this damn village. I suppose it would have been a forbidden jutsu since you humans are all so bloody week but its nothing for a demon like me. And since you're my host you can use it too. Of course your probably to stupid to use it so I will have to walk you through the steps. As for how you prevent all this from happening. Well you will have to figure that out. I mean I know you humans are stupid but I imagine you should be able to figure at least that much out by yourself.**

Naruto sneered and ignored the comments about his intelligence made by the Kyuubi. Instead he focused on the possibilities. He had nothing to loose at this point and as much as he hated the Kyuubi when he spoke like this the truth was they had gotten along much better over the years. They had established somewhat of an understanding and had melded with each other further. He had given the fox more freedom and brought him closer to his mind while the Kyuubi freely melded a large portion of his chakra with the boy and gave him easy access to the rest. He knew he could trust what the fox was saying but it was still hard to believe.

Naruto was brought out of his thoughts when Gaara put his hand on his shoulder. "I believe you should take the chance my friend but you should do it quickly. The enemy approaches. I shall give you the team you need" and with that Gaara ran from the wreckage of the building into the open to engage the enemy. Naruto stretched his senses out to keep track of his last remaining friend.

_Alright fox. Tell me how to do this. _Well your to stupid to remember all the seals by heart so I will have to tell you them one by one while you meld your chakra properly. Be sure to get it right kit. One mistake and you will kill us both.

With that the pair began performing the jutsu. The Kyuubi barking out commands and seals while Naruto melded the chakra as directed and performed the matching seal. He had almost finished when he heard Gaara scream and could feel him no more. A tear came to his eye as he said a silent goodbye to his friend and thanked him for the delay.

Naruto performed that last seal and screamed the jutsu out as a level 3 curse seal ninja jumped at him. The last thing he remembered was seeing the huge fist flying towards him and expecting to go flying across the room. But he felt nothing. Instead the ninja just flew by and everything spun. He felt his entire body going numb as his vision swam in front of him. Just before his vision went black he saw the blood red outline of the Kyuubi floating above him. he saw the fox reach out and grab a hold of him with one of its tail and then took off running.

* * *

Author Notes:

Ok I have rewritten this chapter completely. I hope that everybody likes it. Let me know what you think.

Well until next time. take care and REVIEW.


	2. Reunion

**Author Notes:**

Well ladies and gentleman here it is. Chapter 2. I am actually really surprised at how well this came together. The chapter sort of took on a life of it's own after I got started and I just ran with it. I hope you all enjoy it. Read through it and send me your reviews. I want to know what everybody thinks about the direction were going.

* * *

**Second Chances**

Chapter Two: reunion

by Cybergades

* * *

Naruto stared at the scene unfolding in front of him, eyes wide with amazement and horror at the same time. Before him stood a giant fox with blood red fur and eyes of black and red. he took a step back scared out of his wits and the site of the demon Lord Kyuubi standing before him in all his glory. His eyes became larger still at the realization that his fur was not just the color of blood but was drenched in it as well. all around him lay the bodies of hundreds of ninjas. These are leaf ninja he realized with a start. What the hell was going on. How could the Kyuubi be free from the seal, how could he be slaughtering leaf ninja when their were non. He looked around an instantly recognized the scenery. They were a mere mile from the gates of Konoha.

Suddenly it began to make sense. This was the event 22 years ago. This was the day Kyuubi attacked Konoha. But why was he here. Had the fox double crossed him? Naruto was brought out of his thoughts at the sight of a man he recognized as the forth Hokage. He was tall and handsome with bright blue eyes and long messy blond hair. Something seemed so familiar about his appearance but he could just not place it. He brushed it off and turned his attention to squad of ninja that walked beside him. each wore identical outfits with a small red symbol on the sleeve that Naruto could not make out. They took up positions in front of the Hokage preparing to protect him while he reformed a ritual of some type. That was when Naruto noticed her. A young beautiful woman approached from the darkness behind the group. Dressed in the uniform of the ANBU but with her mask hanging around her neck. In her arms she carried a child who she rocked delicately in her arms, singing gently to him to calm his soul.

_That's me_ Naruto realized with surprise. _If that's me then who is that women. Why is she so kind to me. _The women knelt beside the Hokage, looked deeply into his eyes and began to cry. He reached for her, taking her in his arms and comforting her as best he could. After a few moments he took young Naruto from her arms, kissed him on the forward and whispered something in his ear. He placed the child on the ground in the middle of the large seal and began the ritual.

Naruto knew what was coming. This was the moment that he was cursed with the Kyuubi. This was when it all began. He watched in horror but unable to take his eyes away. This was his past, he had to know what happened that day. Instantly the Kyuubi noticed something was wrong and turned his gaze at the group. The ninjas surrounding the Hokage charged at the Kyuubi, drawing his attention as best they could. They through kunai, fired jutsu after jutsu at the demon Lord while the fox just laughed at them for their effort and slowly killed them one by one.

In less then 20 minutes all the ninja were dead and only the Hokage, the woman, and the child remained. The Hokage seemed to be at the end of the ritual. The Kyuubi sensing the danger charged at his prey. The young woman quickly rose and attacked. In the time it took for the Kyuubi to dispatch her the Hokage completed his task and charged at the Kyuubi, activating the seal on the field.

Naruto looked around again as he watched Kyuubi being sealed inside his younger self. Toward the outskirts of Konoha he could see a large bright white light the same as the one here on the battlefield. He wondered what was being sealed back in Konoha at the same time as Kyuubi was being sealed here. As the Kyuubi's spirit was ripped from his body and transplanted into Naruto's his vision began to swim again. He rocked back and forth and fell to his knees. He closed his eyes to try and steady himself but nothing helped. Then it was over.

He found himself sitting in the cell room where Kyuubi was housed, a place he had become familiar with over the years. Something seemed to be different though and he could not quite put his figure on it. He stood up, the water dripping around him. and then it hit him. where the hell was the Kyuubi. he could not see him in the cell. Fear overtook him. what was going on, how could he get out. He was about to loose it when he heard a loud strange noise behind him in the direction of the cage.

Naruto spun around quickly and started at the cage. Wondering what the noise was. After a few moments the noise came again, louder this time. every few moments it would repeat at varying levels. It took Naruto nearly 10 minutes to realize what it was. It was snoring he realized finally. It was the Kyuubi snoring. But that did not make sense. When had the Kyuubi ever slept. He could not remember a single time since he began speaking with the fox nearly 10 years earlier.

_Hey wake up you stupid fox. What the hell is going on here. _yelled Naruto. He waited for an answer but nothing came. He wondered once again why he was here in this room. And why did he feel so tired. He had realized a few moments earlier while listening to the fox snore that he himself was beat. He felt like all the energy had been training from his body and he was running on fumes.

Naruto sat down on the floor and closed his eyes trying to think over everything in his mind. _I was at head quarters when the sound destroyed it. Everybody died but mw and Gaara._ It had been luck that the two of them had lived. _The damn fox suggested a time traveling jutsu to come back to the past and stop the war from happening. Only instead of landing myself in the past I'm here in this damn cell room listing to this lazy ass over here snoring. And what the hell was up with that dream or vision or whatever it was. Who were those ninja, who was the lady with the Hokage, and what was up with the light from the seal showing up in Konoha as well as on the battlefield. It doesn't make any sense. My head hurts just thinking about it all._

**Would you shut up kittling. I'm trying to sleep here. that damn jutsu really took a lot out of me. Speaking of with, you should really get some rest too. It was just as hard on you as it was on me.**

_What are you talking about you bastard. We didn't go anywhere. I'm sitting in this damn cell with you. What is going on._

**You're here because you exhausted yourself with the jutsu and you have not melded with your former self yet. Just lie down, close your eyes, and shut up. By the time you wake you will be melded with your self and you can go on your merry way. Now if you do not mind I'm going to get some more sleep. Damn loud kid waking me up.**

Naruto ignored him, he was right. He felt incredibly tired to the point that he could barely keep his eyes open. Perhaps a few hours sleep wouldn't hurt. He closed his eyes and instantly fell over with a splash. He was out cold. The room faded around him into darkness and then it was all gone.

When Naruto finally awoke the sun was just rising. The room was slowly lighting up along with the sky. He blinked and rolled to his right as he normally did only to slam his head off the end table beside his bed. The impact startled him and he strong from his bed straight up into the air causing him to bang into the shelf above his bed and knocking him forward onto the ground. He lay their for a moment trying to get his bearings so he did not run into anything else.

Slowly he stood being careful to watch his surroundings. He was unsure of where he was. It seemed so familiar but yet so foreign at the same time. he could just not put his finger on in. He looked around the room he was standing in and it all began to make sense. This was his apartment he realized. There in the corner was the large crack in the wall that had been their since the day he moved in. his bed stood in front of him all warn down and beat up like it had been the whole time he stayed there. To the right was the bathroom and in the corner was his washing machine and dryer. And through the door behind him would be the kitchen. It was strange standing in his apartment again. The whole apartment building had been destroyed around his 17th birthday. By that time the sound already had a foothold and the building was held by them.

He shook his head. Now was not the time to be reminiscing. There were things that needed to be done. First and foremost he needed to find out what day it was. He needed to know how much time he had until the sand attacked with the sound and likewise how much time he had until Sasuke betrayed the leaf for power and revenge. If he could stop those 2 events it would go a long way to foiling Orochimaru's plans.

Naruto began pacing around and using his Anbu training to take in all the information he could from his surroundings. He may not be able to get an exact date this way but he should at least be able to get an idea of when they were. "well I have the apartment so that right away puts me between 8 and 16 years of age. And based on the way things look outside I can safely assume that since there are no patrols and no construction going on that its before the chuunin exams on the year of the first invasion. So that puts us between 8 and 13 years of age." Naruto said to himself.

He looked around the room. Looking in drawers and on the floor. Anything to find a clue as to how old he was. He found a pair of goggles in his dresser and smiled. "well if I have these I have to be at least 10 since I got them on my 10th birthday. And I know for a fact I did not take them off for about the first year so that makes me at least 11." Naruto scrunched up his nose. He was somewhere between 11 and 13 years of age. So he was anywhere from a few hours to a few years before he the invasion. "this is getting me no where fast." _Hey Kyuubi wake your lazy ass up and tell me when you dropped us._

**I dropped you at a major turning point in your life. That's all you need to know for now. its more fun for me to watch you squirm. You should be able to figure the rest out easily enough.**

Naruto sneered at the fox and headed to the bathroom. He would have to grab a shower and get dressed so he could go out and try and gather some more information. _Damn fox having to make things so difficult._

Naruto got out of the shower and walked towards his dresser again to get dressed. He opened his draws and laughed. He had forgotten how ridiculous those jumpsuits looked. And to think that he wore them all the time at this age. He was going to have to change that. Their was no way in hell he was going to go around looking like that much of an idiot.

Naruto began to route through his drawers in search of the one outfit he would have owned at this age that looked half decent. He had bought it by mistake and did not wear it often which was ironic considering that it was much better looking then the damn orange jump suits. Where the hell is it he thought to himself as he ripped his dresser apart.

Finally at the bottom of the last drawer of his dresser he found what he was looking for. He pulled the 3 pieces from his drawers and put them on. First was a black t-shirt with his signature red swirl on both sleeves. Second was a dark blue green vest and last was a pair of dark green shorts. He looked at himself in the mirror and smiled. It was not perfect but it was a lot better then the jumpsuit.

Naruto walked to the kitchen and prepared himself some ramen for breakfast. While he ate he began to formulate a plan of action. First he would need to get a lay of the land. He would need to know what the date was, he would have to get used to everybody here again and then he would have to get close to some of his old friends so that he could recruit them when the time was right. This was not something he would be able to do by himself he realized with disappointment.

The obvious problem there was that anybody he got involved would have to know about the future so they knew exactly what it was they were trying to avoid. But in order to know about that they would need to be told about how Naruto had come to the past which mean explaining the jutsu which would undoubtedly lead to a discussion about his little fury friend that was living inside him.

_How would they react to him when they found out. The only person that ever knew in the future was Sakura and it scared the hell out of her at first. Sure she was fine with it but she had known me for nearly 10 years before she found out. I can not say the same about anybody in this time. At most they may have known me for a few years from a far. But nobody will have known me personally._

Naruto made himself another bowl of ramen and sat back down to continue his thoughts. _Well I can not avoid it. I will need to bring at least some of them in on this. There's too much at stake. Even if they fear me they will likely act for the sake of the village. If their resentment and hatred is the price I must pay for their safety and the safety of the village then so be it._

Naruto stood up and placed his bowl in the sink and headed for the door. _No point putting this off any longer. I might as well go gather the information I need._ Naruto walked to the door, swung it open and nearly bowled over a young blue haired girl standing in front of him. With his quick reflexes he was able to catch her before she hit the ground. Naruto Pulled Hinata into his arms to keep her from falling. He took a few steps back and stared into her eyes.

"Hinata…" Naruto felt like he was staring at a ghost. So many hidden feelings flooded his mind at that moment. Suddenly he felt like falling to his knees and crying. The sight of her dark blue hair blowing in the wind, and her pale lavender eyes sparkling in the sunlight set his heart on fire. Here was the women he loved, alive again and standing a mere foot away from him with that wonderful blush of hers painted on her face.

"Are you alright?... I didn't see you there, sorry." Said Naruto. "Hello N-Naruto-kun, I'm fine." Hinata stared at the ground, her face turning a bright scarlet as she thought about how close Naruto had been. _He held me in his arms. I think I'm going to faint._ "oh what's that in your hand Hinata? I hope I didn't ruin it for you." Said Naruto as he looked at the large plastic bag in Hinata's right hand. Hinata quickly handed Naruto the bag, never once making eye contact. "Ano… I b-brought this for you for b-breakfast. I thought you would enjoy it. I-I'm sorry for b-bothering you." stammered Hinata and with that she spun on her feet and started to quickly walk away.

"Hey Hinata, wait up. Come on won't you share it with me. I would love the company and you bought it. Food is always better when you eat together right?" said Naruto, yelling after Hinata. Hinata stopped in her tracks. _He's asking me into his apartment, he wants my company, and he wants to share his ramen with me. Oh my god I'm going to faint._ And that is exactly what she did.

Naruto cursed his own stupidity. He knew how shy Hinata was. He should have remembered that she fainted all the time when she was younger. The slightest encouragement from him always caused her to blush brightly and usually she would faint not to long after. Naruto set down the ramen on the table and ran to pick up Hinata. He brought her into his apartment and laid her down on the couch. Naruto flicked some water on her face and she woke up.

"Hinata are you alright? You just passed out." Asked Naruto. Hinata looked up at Naruto and blushed intensely again. He was so close. "I-I'm fine Naruto-kun" said Hinata. "I'm glad to hear it. So how about that breakfast. Come on I set out a bowl for you." Said Naruto as he walked to the table. Hinata stared at him as he walked away. A small smile crossing her face. _He's sharing his ramen with me. He never shares his ramen. Maybe he cares for me too._ Hinata stood and walked over to the table. "Arigato Naruto-kun. You don't have to share your ramen with me thought. I bought it for you" said Hinata while trying to force the blush away.

Naruto looked at Hinata again. He was not seeing the young girl that sat in front of him but gorgeous young woman whom he had loved in his future. He smiled brightly at her. _This is my chance. I will not make you wait this time Hinata-chan. I swear I will tell you how I feel and I will look after you. I want so badly to be their for you always and hold you tight. I love you so much my sweet Hinata-chan, I'm just sorry it took your death for me to admit it. I swear I will not make the same mistake again._

Naruto snapped out of his thoughts realizing what Hinata had said. "It's fine really Hinata. I may not have to share but I want to. So enjoy." Hinata smiled briefly and turned to her ramen. She had not forgotten the reason she had come here. Here I am being comforted by Naruto-kun and I'm supposed to be the one comforting him. it's so unfair that they would fail him. Hinata looked back up towards Naruto, tears threatening to pour from her eyes as she thought about how badly the young blond must feel. Her face instantly lit up as she saw the early morning sun bounce off the Konoha headband sitting nicely on top of the fridge.

"You passed" she yelled in a happy tone. Naruto, not knowing what she was talking about turned his head in the direction she was looking at caught sight of his headband. He smiled. Well that made sense. It was the most important day of his life, or at least one of them. The day he officially became a ninja and was assigned to team 7. He turned back to Hinata who was all smiles by this time and smiled his normal foxy grin. "Well of course I passed. I am the great Uzumaki Naruto after all, Born to be the next great Hokage." Naruto boasted in a humorous manner.

Hinata jumped up from the table and threw herself at Naruto, clinging onto him in a huge hug. "I'm so glad you passed. Congratulations." Said Hinata. And then she realized what she had just done. She jumped off of Naruto Blushing like she had never blushed before and promptly fainted, falling back into Naruto's lap of all places. Naruto Laughed out loud at the scene that had just unfolded. He felt truly happy to be back with his friends and it was nice to see Hinata again even if he did have to break her of her nervous habits for a second time.

Naruto looked at the clock. If today was the day that he got assigned to team 7 and Hinata got assigned to team 8 then they were going to have to get going soon. He shook Hinata lightly to get her to wake up and then slapped her gently on the check a few times. Hinata slowly opened her eyes and stared up at Naruto. "ummm Naruto-kun" she moaned happily, obviously reliving some type of dream she had recently had. "Wake up Hinata-chan. We need to get to the academy so we can be assigned to our teams. Come on we can walk together."

Hinata quickly woke up unsure if she had said that out load or not, but blushed furiously all the same. She walked over to the door and put her shows on while Naruto walked to the fridge and grabbed his headband and strapped it on. Naruto walked back to Hinata, threw on his shows and guided her out of his apartment.

"Well Hinata-chan shall we go." Asked Naruto. "Hai!" said Hinata and with that they left. "You look beautiful this morning Hinata-chan" Naruto said as they continued to walk to the academy. "T-thank you Naruto-kun" Hinata said as she blushed furiously.

* * *

The last real Uchiha. That was what they called him. He heard it everywhere he went and he hated it. He was not the last Uchiha. Their was another and he hated that the village had forgotten him. Not because he loved his brother, or because he thought he deserved to be remembered by the village. No Sasuke hated the village for forgetting because it made his reason for living seem like a joke. Sasuke knew that his brother was still out there and he intended to kill him.

The dark haired boy walked do the streets of Konoha on his way to the academy. Today he would be assigned to a team filled with nothing but useless fools. He had no idea how skilled his partners would be but it didn't matter. They would only ever be in his way, or so Sasuke thought. He grumbled to himself not for the first time today as he tried to pull ahead of the two girls who had been trailing behind him all morning.

The first was a young pink haired girl who had the largest forehead he had ever seen in his life, the other was an annoying blond girl who gave new meaning to the term "dumb blond". No matter what he did they followed him, and what was worse was they were fighting with each other, about him of all things. It pissed him off to no end. He just wanted to spin around and shove a kunai through both their throats. He forgot about that quickly as he realized doing so would make it rather hard for him to kill his brother as he would be either dead himself or sitting in jail. He sighed and continue walking. Would they ever catch a clue and figure out that he didn't want any of them.

* * *

Sakura walked close behind Sasuke fighting with Ino about who was better suited as Sasuke's girlfriend. Sakura had said that she was best suited because she was strong and guys loved her pink hair. While Ino insisted that she was better suited for him because she did not have a big forehead and blonds always had more fun, guys knew that she said. In the end they had ended up at each others throats trying to push the other to the ground until Sasuke had whirled around on them and told them to shut up or he was going to kick both their asses.

That had stopped them fairly quickly. It was the first time they had seen him so irritated. Of course they had not stopped long. Within 10 minutes they were fighting again only this time it was about who had caused Sasuke to become upset.

It was funny that they fought like this. Until a year ago they had been the best of friends and then they had both fallen for Sasuke. That had been the end of their friendship. Sakura had gone to Ino and told her that their friendship was over because they could not be friends and go after the same guy. Ino had argued for a few minutes and then simply agreed and they had walked their separate ways. She wondered not for the first time if she had made the right decision. She shook her head, of course she had made the right choice. This was Sasuke-kun she was talking about here. he was worth anything.

* * *

On top of one of the many buildings in the city of Konoha, underneath a wood awning laid the leaf's laziest ninja to be Shikamaru and beside him was his good and rather chubby friend Chouji. This was their favorite place in all of Konoha. This was where they had first become friends and was known at least to them as being the greatest spot in all of Konoha to watch the clouds.

Shikamaru sighed and tried to ignore Chouji. As good of a friend as he was he could be very troublesome at times, and this was certainly one of those times. "But Shika we have to go find out what teams we are one. I don't want to go by myself. It will only take a little bit. Please shika." Whined Chouji.

"It's easier to just wait until the results are posted and then go see our sensei. Besides it's so troublesome having to go to this meeting." Said Shikamaru as he continued to stare up at the clouds. "But Shikaaaa… what if we get in trouble for not going." Cried Chouji. Shikamaru sighed yet again and climbed to his feet. It was troublesome but Chouji was his friend. He was going to bug the hell out of him if they did not go to this meeting and that was even more troublesome. "Very well Chouji. Lets go" and with that they headed down from the building and towards the academy.

* * *

Kiba stared at the dark haired boy in the long trench coat. He never seemed to show any emotion. And all those bugs, it really creped Kiba out. What kind of a person likes to have bugs crawl all over him and never shows any emotion. This was not the first time Kiba had thought like this. It seemed that he thought this way once every couple of weeks which coincidentally happened to be how often Shino kicked his butt in sparing matches at the training grounds which was where they were returning from now.

Shino had been casually giving pointers to Kiba for the last several minutes which was only adding to Kiba's annoyance. It was bad enough that he had to loose but now he had to get lectured by Shino as well which was all the worse because he could not decide weather Shino was mocking him or just trying to help because of his lack of emotions shown on his face.

Shino continued offering pointers while Kiba seethed in private about his loose. He would beat him next time, yeah that's right he would win next time and then he would be the one giving pointers. Kiba sighed. That's what he had said last time, in fact it had said it the last 4 times and he had still to beat Shino. His bugs were just so sneaky. It just wasn't fair.

Kiba just wanted to get to the academy and find out who was on his team so he could take his mind off his horrible loss and even better, maybe their was somebody on his team that he could smoke in a sparring match. That would certainly lift his mood. Kiba smiled at that prospect and continued walking with Shino towards their destination.

* * *

Naruto and Hinata were more then half way to the academy, talking happily about nothing in particular. Hinata had her arm rapped around Naruto's and was walking close beside him enjoying his warmth when he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks and stiffened. She could feel him start to go cold and when she looked up to ask if he was ok she noticed he had gone completely pale.

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata said following his gaze down the road to where a dark haired boy and two girls were coming down a side street not more then 50 feet ahead. She thought she recognized the boy but was not sure. The girls however she knew right away as Sakura and Ino. She figured the boy was probably Sasuke. That was the only boy she knew of that all the girls chased after, Ino and Sakura included.

She looked back up at Naruto wondering what could be the matter. "Naruto-kun… are you ok. Naruto…" she was beginning to get worried. What was wrong with him. he looked like he had just seen a ghost. She knew he was not particularly fond of the Uchiha but that did not explain this reaction. It looked almost like he was afraid, no that was not it. It was something else but she could not quite put her finger on it.

* * *

Naruto heard Hinata but could not return. All that existed to him was the boy that stood a mere 50 feet down the road. He was torn in his feelings. On one hand he was ecstatic to see his best friend, his brother figure standing there, alive, and still a member of the leaf. On the other hand he was sickened at the sight of the traitor who had betrayed his people, his friendships, and had even tried to kill him. He wanted to run down the road and rip his throat out and at the same time he wanted to pull him into an embrace and thank the gods that he had a second chance. His face hardened at as a member formed in his mind. _Sasuke.. you bastard._

_-Flashback-_

_They had received word that Sasuke was in the area with Orochimaru and was going to be taken as a host any day now. They were out of time. Their was no more chances of saving him, instead they would have to kill him so that he could not be taken by Orochimaru. To make matters worse the Atasuki member Itachi had been spotted in the area as well. More then likely waiting for Naruto to come out of the village to deal with his old friend so that the Atasuki could grab him when it was all finished. Even so he insisted on having the mission to go take care of Sasuke. He had demanded to go, he was the one that should end Sasuke's life. It was his duty as his friend and if Itachi got in the way he would simply kill him too. Tsunade had agreed reluctantly after realizing that he was going to go with our without her permission. At least with it she would not have to mark him as a missing nin._

_He took off headed for a nearby village where Sasuke was supposed to be hiding out and waiting for the time to complete the transfer. Only when he got their it was not Sasuke he found waiting at the little inn but Itachi, Red eyes glaring back at him behind that stupid black clock. _

_"Hey! What the hell are you doing here you son of a bitch?" Naruto demanded. He knew it was stupid to ask, it was pretty obvious that the information had been fake and only used to lure him out. No matter. Naruto had come out here intending to kill an Uchiha, He had no problem making that Itachi. He deserved no less for what he had done. It was his fault ultimately that Sasuke had fled the leaf and become Orchimaru's lap dog. _

_"come now Naruto-kun. I would think you knew perfectly well what I'm here for. Come quietly. There is no way you can hope to beat me." Naruto stared at the man leaning against the wall off the inn. "Itachi!" Naruto hissed "you underestimate me. You should have brought more of your little friends. At least then you might have stood a chance. I'll kill you for what you did to your family. If it was not for you Sasuke would still be with us and not with that fucking snake." _

_"prepare to die." The boy growled. His eyes became slit, while the whisker like marks on his face stretched out. His nails became sharp claws. The red chakra started to ooze out of him and cover his body in a protective shell. Naruto's body slowly began to resemble the Kyuubi's and once Naruto agreed with the fox. the time for talk was over. It was time to **Kill.** _

_Naruto rushed at Itachi throwing tables out of his way as he went. They meet in the middle of the inn trading blow for blow. For nearly an hour they stayed like that. Attacking and blocking, using Taijutsu against Taijutsu. Flame against flame. Illusion against illusion. No matter what they tried neither side seemed to be winning. It seemed like things could just continue forever like this. But unfortunately for Itachi Naruto had an incredible amount of stamina and chakra. Something that Itachi could never hope to match. As the fight continued Naruto stayed as fresh as the moment that they started while Itachi slowed and weakened. _

_In the end it was Naruto that won, dodging a flame jutsu and slipping under Itachi's defenses just long enough to slam the Rasengan into his chest, Itachi never saw it coming. In seconds it was over, Itachi lay dead on the ground while Naruto fell to his knees next to him, desperately trying to suck in breath. He had never been so tired in his life. _

_And then as if he sensed his brothers demise Sasuke walked into the inn. Naruto looked over to the door, their eyes meet and Naruto could see the hatred, the sadness, and the loss in his eyes. It seemed that he was part of some big cosmic joke. What had he done to deserve all this attention today._

_"Naruto. How could you kill him. You knew he was mine to kill. Revenge was all I had left."_

_Naruto staggered to his feet. Never taking his eyes of his old friend. "Please Sasuke you have to believe me I had no cho-" He was cut off by the last Uchiha's words . if possible it seemed he got even colder._

_"You .. you took my revenge. Now I will have to satisfy myself with killing you." Naruto winced at the expression on his friends face and the sight of him activating the level 3 curse seal. he tried to explain. But it was no use. He would not listen. Sasuke looked once more at his dead brother and activated the Chidori. _

_Naruto quickly slid back into a defensive stance and charged up the Rasengan preparing to battle his friend. _

_They would finish this in one shot they both knew. Today one of them would die and the other would be left to hold the weight of his friends death on his shoulders for the rest of his days. Naruto stood his ground, watching as his friend approached at high speeds. Sasuke raised the Chidori and thrust his arm forward at Naruto. At the last second he closed his eyes, he did not want to see his friends death as much as he hated him for killing his brother and taking his revenge from him. _

_He would kill him but he did not want to watch. He heard the sickening sound of ripping flesh, felt blood run down his hand and heard Naruto scream out in pain. But instead of feeling his friends body weaken he felt him seize his arm. Sasuke shot his eyes open and stared at Naruto. He had one thrust his arm through Naruto's side, Naruto had moved at the last moment and purposely taken the Chidori to restrain him. _

_Naruto flipped Sasuke over his shoulder onto the ground, looked once more into his friends eyes and said "I'm sorry". Seconds later Sasuke was dead beside his brother. Naruto had slammed the Rasengan into his chest while he lay on the ground. With nowhere to go his body had sunk into the ground as far as it could before Naruto's hand had smashed through his ribcage and straight through to the other side. _

_Naruto stood up, pulling his arm from his friend and removing Sasuke's arm from his side. Naruto took a few steps away and fell to the ground on his knees and cried. That was it, he had killed his friend, his blood was still warm on his face as Naruto reached up and whipped it away._

_Naruto sat their for hours before finally getting up and returning to Konoha. It was over now, there was no reason hanging around any longer._

_End Flashback_

Naruto Could feel his heart breaking. Tears threatening to spill out of his eyes. Here was his friend again, the boy he would have called brother. Alive and well, and still in Konoha. His mind was running a million miles a minute. He felt like he couldn't breath. He wanted so badly to run to him and give him a big hug and then beat him over the head and tell him that if he ever tried to run off with a snake bastard for his revenge that he would kick his ass. But that would never work, the boy would just look at him like he was insane and then probably challenge him to a fight to prove that he would not get his ass kicked.

* * *

Suddenly Naruto realized that Sasuke was not the only one standing there. His eyes landed on Sakura and then to Ino. The last day he had seen them both alive had been the day he left. They had both died in the final attack along with Shikamaru and Kiba and about two dozen other ninja.

He had to run, he was going to loose it if he stayed here. they were all here he realized, he was being reunited with the rookie 9 without any of them knowing it and he could not handle it. He had to run, he had to get away. His eyes fell on Shikamaru and then on Chouji as he walked forward at a slow pace with Hinata following him still wondering what was wrong and with that worried expression on her face. Next he saw Kiba and Shino, both staring at him, or were they looking at Hinata.

He realized with a start that everybody was staring at them. It could have been for a dozen reasons but it was probably because he likely looked as white as a ghost right about now and while he had not looked at Hinata he could only imagine that she was as bright as a tomato with so much attention on her.

That was it, he could take no more. He pulled his arm from Hinata's and bolted forward towards the academy. He ran as fast as he could, past his old friends, or were they new acquaintances now. He ran and he ran until he reached the academy doors. He threw them open and bolted right instead of left heading for one of the classrooms at the end of the hall that he knew would be empty.

He barreled through the door a second after he slammed it open, but before he could close it behind him and seal it shut he felt a warm hand on his and arms around his next. He promptly fell to the ground, a little from the surprise and a little from his emotional stress.

Hinata stared at the boy in her arms. It was strange being able to say that. It was true though she was holding him protectively in her arms and rocking him gently back and forth as he cried of all things. She had no idea what was wrong but it was obvious for at least this moment that he was either not able or not willing to tell her. She would wait at least for a few minutes to find out what was wrong. He would tell her when he was ready.

She realized suddenly that she was not fainting, here she was holding her love in her arms, cradling him in his hour of need and she was not even the slightest bit embarrassed. Oh she knew that if anybody were to walk in at this moment that she would probably turn the brightest color of red that anybody had ever seen in their lives and then promptly faint on the spot but for the time being, while they were alone she felt no such urges. Instead she felt overwhelmed with a deep sense of warmth that was leading her to be with Naruto. She wanted, no she needed to comfort him.

Perhaps now she would be able to tell him of her love, but not right this moment. He was in no shape to hear of her selfish wishes right now. For now she would just be here for him.

Naruto felt the arms around him, he could smell her scent in the air. She was so warm he realized, he wished he could just stay here in her arms for ever. Was this what he sacrificed by ignoring his feelings for all those years. He had kept silent about the way he felt even though he could plainly see the way she felt about him. He had rationalized it to himself by saying that his only purpose in life was to kill Orochimaru and that he would only be putting her in harms way if they got together. But that was not the truth. He had been afraid, afraid of what would happen when he told her of his secret. And if they had gotten together he knew that he would have to tell her, their could be no secrets in a relationship like that.

So he had ignored his feelings instead because it was easier, he had thought she would just move on and find somebody else, Kiba perhaps. But she had stayed true to him even without his acknowledgment. Perhaps she knew how he felt and thought that if she just waited he would come around, or perhaps she could just not bring herself to go after another man. Whatever the case was she had devoted herself to her love for him, never faltering and always being their for him until the very end. She had given her very life for his and they had even said she died with a smile on her face when she heard that he was going to live.

The tears came harder now as Naruto thought about her death again and all he had given him in the past. Hinata was still holding him close, rubbing his back and whisphering sweetly, calmly in his ear to relax him. They were soothing words, perhaps the words to a song, he really couldn't tell but they helped all the same. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

Hinata startled as she felt his arms wrap around her back and pull her close. And then she froze as she heard his words, his voice so full of sorrow and pain. She had never heard him like this before, it was like he had been totally and utterly beaten, all hope lost. He sounded almost defeated, but their was something else in his voice, ever so faintly, it was love and hope and determination all rolled into one. She would never forget this for the rest of her life. How she wished he would tell her what was wrong. But instead all he said was "I'm sorry… I'm So sorry. I promise I won't fail again." And with that he pulled himself from her arms and stood up.

"We should get going Hinata. The meeting will have already started by now. in fact it's likely almost over. I'm sorry I kept you." Naruto said. Hinata looked at him in pure and utter disbelief. How could he go from being so totally destroyed to acting like nothing had happened. "Naruto-kun… Please, what's wrong. Talk to me, I want to help. I don't want to see you so hurt. Please." She started to cry softly as she finished. Naruto walked over to her and pulled her close.

"please don't cry Hinata. Dry those tears." Naruto said. He turned around after whipping her tears away with his thumb and spoke once more in a soft and sad tone. "Hinata I trust you more then any person I know, perhaps even more then Iruka-sensei, but I just can't tell you what's wrong right now. I'm not ready. So please, will you keep what happened her today a secret. Will you do that for me. I promise that I will tell explain everything someday soon. Just please give me time to sort through my thoughts. That is all I can say right now."

Hinata looked into his eyes, they were so tired she realized, they were not the eyes of the overly energetic boy she knew and loved, these eyes seemed darker somehow. They seemed it be the eyes of somebody who had lost everything, somebody who had be totally defeated. She smiled lightly to show him that she understood. It hurt to see him so sad and she would do anything to help him, she would do anything for him, even if that meant doing nothing and just waiting for the right moment when he would finally open up to her. Until then all she could do was be their for him.

From now on she would always be their for him, she would not let her shyness stop her, not when he obviously needed her so badly. She smiled again. "Ok Naruto-kun. If that is what you want then I will wait. But you promise you will tell me eventually, and you will let me be their for you in the meantime?" she asked hesitantly. Naruto sighed and smiled. She always worried about him. what had he ever done to win her love. "I promise Hinata. No let's go. If were lucky we can catch the end of the meeting and not get in to much trouble from our sensei's". And with that they left the room and headed down the hall to the other end of school.

He smiled inwardly. He would tell her, sooner then later. She would help him, he knew she would, now more then ever. He only hoped that she would love him the same when she knew his secret. _Wait for me Hinata. I promise I won't make you wait long._ He said to himself as they approached room 7C.


	3. Secret Revealed

**Author Notes:**

Well everybody let me start by saying that I now officially have Foxie-Sama's Permission to work with her story although as you can see there are a lot of differences between the two.

I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter. Based on the reviews I have received I would say that you did.

Like the Last chapter this one took on a life of its own. I can safely say that when I finished the last chapter and started this chapter I had not planned to go in this direction at all or at least not in this manner. But as I started right I just found that certain things worked really well and I ran with it. Let me know what you all think. Big thanks to BioLighting for his suggestion about the Naruto/Sasuke event. Well enjoy Chapter Three and Review, Review, Review.

* * *

**Second Chances**

Chapter Three: Secret Revealed

by Cybergades

* * *

The sun would begin setting soon Naruto realized as he approached room 7C with Hinata close behind. He stopped at the door well aware that the teams had already been assigned and that the only people they were likely to find within were Sasuke, Sakura, and probably one very irritated and worried Iruka wondering where the hell Naruto took off to on the biggest day of his life.

Naruto opened the door, stepped inside and stopped. There behind the desk was his father figure and beside him was the last person in the world he expected to see at this time. _What the hell is Kurenai-sensei doing here, she's usually a real stickler for schedules and timing and she wasn't here last time arro…_ Naruto was abruptly brought out of his thoughts by one of Iraka's patented lectures.

"Naruto where the hell have you been. This was the most important day of your life, you have been trying to pass for ages and now that you have you decide to just ditch the team assigning ceremony. And what were you thinking dragging Hinata along with you." Said Iruka in a rather parental tone of voice.

"Ano… Naruto-kun didn't-"began Hinata but was interrupted by Naruto. "…give her any choice. I wanted some company so I dragged her along". Naruto shot Hinata back a look that said _let me take the blame, this is my fault,_ and then continued to stare at Iruka and Kurenai.

Iruka sighed and turned away. Something must have happened. The hole classroom had been abuzz about how Naruto had ran from the group in a hurry with Hinata fast behind him. it was obvious something was up but he could not push the boy while everybody else was around. He would just have to let it slide for now and hope that it did not affect his chances at passing his genin qualifications.

Kurenai realized that Iruka was done with his lecture and decided to take things in her own hands. She was certainly not going to let them get off scoot free. She would make things harder on them, all of them and as a result the two of them would have to put up with their teammates anger for being forced to deal with their mistakes.

"Well since you two decided that it was fine to delay my qualifications I have decided that team 7 and team 8 will do a joint test. And since I know how Kakashi works you will either all Pass or you will all fail." Kurenai said as she turned towards their 4 companions. "And you four can thank them for this pleasure. Let this be a lesson to all of you. A ninja always looks after their own. You all saw them run off. You should have done something about it." Kurenai paused for a moment and then continued. "Kakashi always does a survival training test so tomorrow morning at 7am; we will all meet out front of the academy and leave as a team for the training ground where your survival training will take place. Oh and don't bother eating any breakfast." Finished Kurenai. She stood their for a moment before realizing that they were not leaving and added in an aggravated tone "Your dismissed." Before walking back over to Iruka and starting to lecture him on how to properly hand out punishments.

Naruto for his part had barely been paying any attention through most of the lecture from Kurenai-sensei, oh he had caught the basics but his mind had been on other more pressing issues. The biggest of which was the increasing amount of discomfort he found himself in. It had started while he was walking with Hinata. He had begun felling a little dizzy and warm. He had passed it off as a side effect of the jutsu that would just go away and it had not been that bad. Then when he was in the spare classroom with Hinata he had felt his muscles start to ache. Not a sharp pain, just a light pulling sensation.

It had become much worse now though. Every muscle in his body was throbbing now to the point where he could barely keep the pain from his face. He had been getting increasingly worried and what worried him more was the fact that Kyuubi seemed to be in pain as well and was not replying to his questions. He seemed to be off in his own little world.

Naruto quickly got to his feet no that they had been dismissed and headed for the door in a hurry. Hinata had noticed that something had not been quite right with Naruto since they got here, even more so then before. She had caught him flinching a few times out of the corner of her eyes and for a brief second she could have swore she saw his face cringe in pain but when she looked over to get a better view he had just turned towards her and smiled that same foxy grin that he always smiled. She was sure he was hiding something. She had promised she would be there for him, she decided to follow after him to make sure she was not far away if he should need somebody to help him again.

To say that Sasuke was upset would have been the understatement of the century. He had never really liked Naruto but this had pushed him over the top. He was going to make sure that Dobe knew who he was dealing with and know that he would not let him fuck around with his future, his revenge. Sasuke's anger only increased along with the others as they saw Naruto bolt from the room with Hinata quick in tow. Seeing this Sasuke quickly ran after the too, set on beating some sense into the boy once and for all.

Naruto did not know what was going on but he was sure whatever it was it was a result of the jutsu he had used to come back in time and that was not something he could deal with in the company of others. He pushed some chakra to his feet and began running faster, if he was going to deal with this problem he had to get away from the prying eyes of the villagers and ninja. He would need to go somewhere private.

* * *

Shikamaru sat at Ichiraku ramen bar with Chouji and Ino as Chouji finished his fifteenth bowl of ramen. Shikamaru grumbled as he thought about the meeting they had just come from. He had known he shouldn't have gone, he just should have waited and gotten the information afterwards but instead he had let Chouji talk him into it and had been subjected to a very troublesome lecture with the rest of the class about letting Naruto and Hinata run off without trying to stop them.

How was it his responsibility to make sure that somebody else came to the meeting. He had found it troublesome enough just to bring himself and he was wishing now that he had just stayed and watched the clouds.

Ino was completely ignoring her two teammates as she seethed privately about her lose to Sakura. Sakura had been graced with the presence of Sasuke while she had been cursed with these two lazy bums. How could her luck be so bad, what had she done to get stuck with the fat ass and the lazy bastard. She had considered demanding that she be switched to a different team but was unable to do so as Shikamaru and Chouji had promptly dragged her out of the room and here to this damn ramen bar so they could stuff their faces. Ok so truthfully it had been Chouji that wanted to stuff his face and their was nothing wrong with the ramen bar, in fact she rather liked the food but she was to upset to admit that to them right now.

Chouji sat at contently in his favorite spot at Ichiraku's blissfully unaware of the discontent feelings of his teammates. There was nothing he liked more then sitting down and eating a bowl, or two, or twenty of Ichiraku's ramen after a hard days work, except maybe sitting down and eating his fill of Korean Barbeque which was his favorite food by far.

He finished his last bowl and of ramen, and paid for his food. He turned towards his partners and was surprised to see them looking down the road in a curious manner as if they were trying not to seem interested in whatever it was they saw. Chouji stood up and walked around to corner to look down the road his teammates were. There at the end of the road and approaching fast was Naruto, and following behind him just like before was Hinata.

Personally he had not cared about the lecture, he had thought that perhaps they should go check on them in the first place but he knew Shikamaru would not want to go, it would be to troublesome he would say. And Shikamaru was already going to the meeting with him so he had just decided to leave well enough alone. So of course when they were lectured about it later he seemed to think it only natural that they get yelled at. Seeing him in the same state again or perhaps something different, he was set in his resolve to help him this time but was rather surprised to be beaten to the punch by Shikamaru of all people. He cared greatly for his friend but he was the laziest person he knew.

"As troublesome as it is to go after them, it would be more troublesome to have to deal with another one of Asuma's lectures." Said Shikamaru as he took of running towards Naruto and Hinata who had passed by them a few seconds earlier. Before they could get far though they were quickly meet up with by the rest of the rookie 9 and passed by one very aggravated looking Sasuke. Shikamaru just knew that things had become more troublesome. Why did he always have to deal with these problems?

* * *

Naruto slowed slightly as he realized the pain had slightly subsided; he had just entered the woods, still trying to figure out why the pain was fluctuating so much when he found himself flying through the air. Naruto slammed against a tree with a sickening crunch and slowly pulled himself to his feet. He looked back towards the direction the attack had come and was both surprised and sickened to see Sasuke standing there with a look of pure malice on his face.

Naruto whipped the blood from his mouth where he had been punched and took a step forward. "What the hell do you think your doing you bastard" Naruto screamed and then winced slightly as the pain returned with a vengeance. "What am I doing, what am I doing. I'll tell you what I'm doing? I'm going to kick your ass you Dobe. What right do you have to be a ninja? You're can barely even create a bushin. You failed the test 2 times before passing. Your nothing but a dropout and I intend to make you realize that so you'll stay out of my way." And with that Sasuke charged.

Naruto had less then a second to think before Sasuke was on him. he quickly slipped into a fighting stance and let his instincts take over. Sasuke jumped in the air and delivered a back kick right at Naruto which he easily blocked, holding his leg in place. Sasuke promptly pulled back and threw a blazing punch right for Naruto's face but found his hand blocked with Naruto's free one. Not giving up Sasuke rolled in the air so he was upside down brought a kick down right for Naruto's shoulder. Naruto quickly realized Sasuke, spinning on his heel he performed a roundhouse kick which found its mark right in the middle of Sasuke's back sending him flying through the air and until he found himself upside down against a large Red wood.

The rest of the rookie 9 just started in utter amazement and shook. The counter had been almost simple in nature. He had seemed to due it with no effort at all, as if he had done it a thousand times before. And the speed at which he completed it, he was easily faster then any of them but yet he had never showed any such talent or speed in his academy days. What was going on. They found themselves staring on in awe and waiting to see what happened next. That is all of them except for Hinata who, had like the rest of them caught the reversal barely and was amazed as well as impressed but she was far more concerned about the almost constant twitches that she was seeing all over his body. They were little things that the others probably did not notice or waved off as being nothing important but she could tell that was not the case. He was in pain, a lot of pain and he was trying desperately to hide it with all his strength. What was wrong with him?

Naruto was acting as cool as ice despite the deep pain he was feeling throughout his body. Despite the way it must have looked he had actually held back substantially with his attacks against Sasuke. Every muscle in his body had been and still was screaming in pain and all his instincts had told him to finish the boy quickly but he did not want to hurt him and he was afraid of showing anymore then he was now for fear of revealing his secret or at least making them very suspicious.

**You should have trusted your instincts you damn brat. You do not have time for this. You ha- **the Kyuubi was suddenly cut off as a sharp wave of pain cut through them both and only a moment before Sasuke ran at him again.

Sasuke got to his feet, blood running down his forehead from where the skin had split when he collided with the tree. He found his back was a little sore from the force of the kick Naruto had delivered. How the hell had he moved so fast. He was sure he had him but then in less then a second he had spun around, out of my range and countered by attack with what looked like no effort at all.

Sasuke was furious; who did he think he was, he was trying to show him up, make a fool of him with moves like that. He would show him who the genius was. He would eat make a mockery of his skills and grind him into the ground with the heel of his foot. Sasuke ran at Naruto as fast as he could. At the last second he noticed Naruto flinch and took advantage of the opening by kicking Naruto into the air and performing the shadow of the dancing leaf technique so that he could follow up with his Lion Combo. Sasuke quickly throws a kick to Naruto's left side which he barely blocks and is followed up by backhand to the face which catches Naruto off guard. Continuing with the combo Sasuke slams his fist into Naruto's stomach sending him careening back towards the ground at high speeds.

_What the hell is going on Kyuubi? Why am I in so much PAIN? _Naruto screamed inwardly.**Stupid brat… Beat… boy… get away… no time…** replied the Kyuubi, barely able to get the words out. Naruto was in an incredible amount of pain. Every time he used some chakra the pain was reduced slightly but only for a few moments and then it would return and stronger then before. He had no choice. He had to finish Sasuke now, and in one move. He would have to risk a higher level technique and hope that he got away with it. He had to get away. He felt like his muscles were going to rip apart and that his heart was going to explode. What was causing this incredible pain.

Realizing the dire situation he was in Naruto resorted to an Anbu evasion technique to transfer the bulk of the damage from Sasuke's attack and avoid taking any damage personally from the final blow. Naruto Caught Sasuke's leg at the last second as he performed a spin kick that would have drove Naruto into the ground. Using Sasuke's Leg as leverage and his momentum to help propel his actions Naruto reverses the final flow flipping in the air and righting himself. As his foot touches the ground Naruto spins quickly in place and releases Sasuke. The reversal sent Sasuke flying across the woods and narrowly slamming into a tree which caused him to summersault through the air before landing with a sickening thud on the ground.

They had all prepared for the worst when they saw Naruto fly towards the ground. They were sure the match was over and were all ready to walk to his side and congratulate him on a match well fought despite his loss in the end but were quickly frozen to their spots by what occurred next. Even Hinata with all her worrying about Naruto was brought out of her thoughts at the sight of such an impressive maneuver.

Naruto had completely evaded Sasuke's attack in mid air using Sasuke's own momentum to spin him out of the way and allow him to land right side up on the ground smoothly. But what's more was he had gone a step further and using chakra and the boys momentum he had reversed the attack completely by grabbing a hold of Sasuke's led and spinning him around at high speeds and then sending him flying across the forest. Sasuke had slammed his legs off of a big tree in the process which resulted in him spinning furiously towards the ground and landing with a huge thud. Even after he hit the ground his momentum had carried him nearly a 100 feet and left him up against a large bolder all broken and bleeding.

Sasuke lay on his side, back against the bolder which he had just slid into. Every part of his body ached from the force of the last attack. It was impossible. How could he have possibly have avoided my attack and use it against me. He was sure their was nothing broken but he would have bruises all over his body by morning and he could barely move right now as it was. Sasuke could feel the warm liquid running down his face and arms from cuts and scrapes that he had suffered. He could not believe it. The dobe had totally and utterly destroyed him and in 2 moves.

Sasuke realized with a start that the boy had been toying with him the whole time. he could have finished it the second the battle had started but he had held back and then finished him with his own assault. He would have to give the boy a chance now he realized with a sense of annoyance. Perhaps he was not a dobe after all. Sasuke rolled over onto his stomach and tried to push himself to his feet. He got halfway before his arms gave out on him and he fell flat in the dirt again. That was it, the battle was over.

After seeing Sasuke's valiant attempt to stand after taking such a brutal hit and his subsequent failure both Ino and Sakura run to his side to help him followed closely by the other members of the rookie 9 save Hinata, Naruto, and Shikamaru. Shikamaru eyed Naruto cautiously. He was sure their was something strange going on now. this was not the Naruto he had seen in the past, granted he had not particularly ever paid any attention to the boy in the past but even still he had enough information on him to know that something was different. His skill, strength, and power were all abnormally high and he had the distinct impression that the he was seeing but a fraction of what was truly being hidden.

Naruto fell to his knees. **Foolish brat. Run…** was all the Kyuubi could manage before succumbing to the agony again. Naruto Staggered to his feet took one last look at the people he would call friends and ran in the opposite direction, adding chakra to his feet to propel him faster.

"Naruto-Kun…" Hinata screamed as he feel to his knees. She was almost at his side, reaching out to grab him, to help him any way she could when he took off running. "Hinata leave him, he's fucking crazy. You saw what he did you Sasuke. Look at him. he could have killed him and for what. It was just a stupid fight, nothing serious and he kicked his ass." Yelled Kiba.

Hinata looked over her shoulder at her teammates, and then back towards the direction Naruto had just won. Ignoring the shouts behind her she took off running after him. She was determined to be there for him. What if he was hurt, he was obviously in pain. Something was wrong, who would help him if he was hurt and there was nobody around. Tears began to stream down her face as she imagined him injured and lying on the ground all alone and calling out for help. They were unwanted tears but they came all the same.

Hinata activated her Byakugan so she could pick up Naruto's trail and catch up with him. in less then a minute she had found him, about half a mile straight ahead on the outskirts of the village running for what looked like a secluded spot near the river. She quickened her pace in an effort to close the gap; she could tell something was terribly wrong now. he was stumbling, he had lost his speed and was running into things constantly like he was blind with pain.

Naruto tumbled into the clearing by the lake. This was his place, he had never told anybody about it buy Hinata and that had been years in the future. He knew nothing but the pain. It was horrible; every nerve in his body was on fire, ablaze with an unending pain like nothing he had ever experienced before in all his days. He screamed out in agony. _What the fuck is going on you stupid Fox. ANSWER MEEEEEEEEE. AHHHHHHHH_… Naruto yelled at the Kyuubi. **Oodama Rasengan, Use Now** Commanded Kyuubi. _What, Stupid fox…_ The Kyuubi Growled angrily at Naruto and said **DO IT YOU LITTLE SHIT.**

Hinata shot through the brush and flew through the final wall of trees into the opening just as she heard Naruto Scream out in pain. She looked down at him, knelling there in so much agony and she wanted to run to him. Naruto Looked over his shoulder realizing that Hinata had entered the clearing, their clearing he remembered. He had no more time he realized. He had not choice any more. It was do as the fox said right now or die a very painful death and soon. He was going to have a ton of explaining to do when this was all over. He prayed she would listen, that she would still care for him when it was all over. he didn't have a clue how he was going to explain it but that would have to wait.

Hinata ran towards Naruto, her body was racked with sobs now and she could barely see. She could feel it now, the immense waves of chakra emanating from him. That much chakra would rip him apart. That was it she realized. He was being ripped apart from the inside out, she did not understand it, could not understand it but she knew that was it. That was why he was in so much pain. She thought for sure he was going to die and there was nothing she could do to help him. all she could do was hold him and give him what little comfort she could. She was no more then 10 feet away when she heard Naruto scream out again but this time it sounded like words, she couldn't make them out but she was almost positive that he had spoke to her or said something and then their were 3 of him, he had summoned 2 shadow clones.

Before Hinata could guess what he was doing he yellowed out again. This time she heard him clearly. It was a jutsu but she had never heard of it before. The second part sounded familiar, so familiar. She could not put her finger on it. She thought maybe she had heard her dad say it before, or heard about it at the academy. Then she saw it, a huge spiraling ball of red and chakra glowing brilliantly was held in Naruto's hand and supported by his two clones. "OODAMA RASENGAN" Naruto Screamed as he slammed the ball of Chakra into the ground.

Instantly an incredible shockwave of energy threw Hinata back to the end of the clearing. She had heard Naruto scream that name, she had seen the ball of chakra but what had caused that shockwave. Was that Naruto. Terror filled Hinata to the core as images of Naruto being torn apart by so much chakra rushed through her head. She jumped to her feet and started to run to where he had stood but froze in her spot as soon as she looked ahead. There where the clearing had once been full of grass and little bushes was nothing but dirt. A 500 foot crater engulfed the entire area and in the centre of the crater stood Naruto.

Naruto stood their breathing heavily as he tried to catch his breath. The pain was all but gone now. Just the dull ache that he had started with a few hours earlier. That was all that remained and he welcomes it now as a release from the horrendous pain he had felt earlier.

_Alright you damn fox. Start explaining yourself. I damn well know you didn't saying nothing about blowing up as being a side affect of that damn jutsu of yours._ Naruto yelled at Kyuubi.

**Well excuse me Mr. know it all. It's not like I have ever used this jutsu before I was not aware that we would be melding out chakra capacity of our Future selves with the chakra capacity of our current Selves. That was what you felt. Over the course of the day our current selves have been melding with us, our chakra capacity being added to theirs. Of course in our current state neither of our bodies are suited to handle that much chakra. Even 10 years from now you we would not have been able to hold so much chakra. **Yelled Kyuubi in an irritated voice.

_So what the hell do we do now? I don't know about you but I would rather not go through that again and I can already feel it getting worse. I take it the melding is still not complete. Every time I use my chakra I feel like its replaced by at least twice what I used._ Explained Naruto.

The only choice is to seal away our roughly half of our combined chakra with at least a 7 point seal. In your current weakened state you're not powerful enough to do a typical seal. We will have to use a demonic seal instead along with a regular seal. The demonic portion will seal my chakra and the regular seal with deal with yours. Follow my instructions exactly.

Hinata watched from the edge of the crater too stunned to move. Naruto had done this she realized with a start. He had been powerful enough to use such an incredible jutsu. Now he was writing something on the floor of the crater. A script or seal of some type, she could not see properly from here. She gasped in horror as she saw him remove a kunai from his pouch and rip it across his arm and sprayed the blood all over the seal.

Hinata instant ran to his side. "Naruto-Kun, Naruto-Kun… What are you doing, please stop, your hurting yourself" she screamed in terror, her tears running freely again. Naruto could feel her eyes on him, he knew she was worried sick about him, he had probably scared her half to death today and she most likely did not understand anything she was seeing. He would tell her soon enough. "Just wait a little longer Hinata. I beg you. I promise I will tell you everything when this is done." Naruto pleaded.

Naruto finished the integrated seal with the help of Kyuubi's instructions. He thrust his palm into the middle of the sale and shouted "_Seven Earthly Star Demonic Seal_". As he forced his chakra into the seal to activate it he felt the earth underneath his palm grow warm and begin to move. Moments later seven chains of dirt shot from the ground and rapped around his right arm pulling him closer to the ground. Four of the chains burst with demonic flames and began to burn the demonic seal into his forearm while the other three crystallized and cut the mortal portion of the seal into place.

When the seal was complete on his forearm both seals glowed brightly at the same time and Naruto screamed out in agony as he felt the chakra ripped from his body and sealed away. He had not expected it to happen so suddenly or so forcibly. The pain was nowhere near as bad as it had been less then an hour ago but he still shook from the pain. And then it was over. He fell to the ground sweating and shacking from the shook of it all. His wounds had already healed, the chakra embedding itself in the seal and hiding itself away from prying eyes.

Hinata knelt beside him quickly and wrapped him in her arms. For the second time today she found herself overwhelmed by motherly feeling and the urge to shelter Naruto from the world and take away all his pain. She pulled him back into her embrace and rocked back and forth gently.

Naruto stiffened when he felt Hinata's arms around him and then melted into her embrace. He laid his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes. It was so peaceful like this. He could almost fall asleep. Once again he found his mind wondering to the life he might have had if he had just admitted his feelings to Hinata and been content to look after her instead of always going out and looking for trouble. Tsunade had begged him to take a break, to just relax and enjoy what was left of life but he had refused. He hoped that one day in the near future he would have the chance to make that choice again. This time he would make the right choice.

Hinata continued to rock back and forth, gently squeezing Naruto from time to time to let him know that everything would be all right. She was filled with questions and concerns and fears but she didn't want to bother him with her problems right now. Hinata thought silently about what had happened that day. Everything about him had changed since the last time she saw him only a day earlier. What had happened to cause such a sever change? How had he become so powerful? What was that seal Jutsu he used to make the crater? These were only some of the strange items that haunted her.

The tension in the air was palpable. He could have cut it with a Kunai. She was trying so hard to act natural and be sweet and caring but he could clearly sense the uneasiness that she was feeling. Their were too many unexplained things for her to just forget and go on living as if nothing had happened.

_What do I do fox, how do I tell her about everything that we have been through, about you, and the war, and her death? How do I explain all the pain that I have suffered? How can I possibly expect her to love me after all of that? I'm not even sure that she will believe me and truthfully I'm not sure I want her to. What's worse, her thinking I'm lying through my teeth because I don't want to tell her my secret or believing me and being scared out of her mind? What the hell do I do? _Naruto asked the Kyuubi.

**You make it sound like I have some incredible wealth of knowledge for you to pull from. How the hell am I supposed to know what to say. I'm a demon. If I want a mate I take one, I don't dance around the subject like you pathetic humans do.** Said Kyuubi in a mocking tone.

_I was being serious you bastard fox. Why I ever thought I could get a straight answer from a smart ass like you is beyond me._ Naruto yelled inwardly as he went back to his thoughts. He would just have to be straight with her he realized and hope for the best. He owed her at least that much. Tell her about what he was, where he came from, and what the leaf was up against and hope that she would still be their for him in the end. While he was not sure what her feelings would be for him when she knew all his secrets he was sure she would do what was right for Konoha. She would help him in his quest even if it was not for him.

Naruto pulled away from Hinata and slowly gained his footing. He was still a little wobbly from all that had happened but he was sure the feeling would pass in a short time. He turned and faced Hinata, a weak smile on his face and offered up his hand to pull her to her feet.

Hinata stared at the young blond with curiosity. He was asking like nothing was wrong again, was he just going to ignore what she had just witnessed and hope that things returned to normal? How could he possibly expect her to just go on living as if nothing had happened today? She reached up and grabbed his outstretched hand and was quickly pulled to her feet. She looked into his eyes for a moment before gathering up all her courage and asking "Naruto-kun… what just happened? How did you have so much chakra? How did you beat Sasuke so easily? What's happening to yo-" She was suddenly cut off by Naruto's finger bring pressed to her lips.

"Shhh… Hinata there is so much I have to tell you, so much I have wanted to tell you but I was and am afraid of how you would receive me once you knew the real me. I suppose I had hoped I could avoid this day for as long as possible, possibly even forever and still enjoy a normal life but I realized some time ago that you had a right to know. I care for you to much to lie to you any further." Naruto Sighed loudly as he prepared to reveal his biggest secret to the most important precious person for the first time.

"Hinata will you promise me just one thing… No matter what you think of me, no matter what your feelings are once all is in the open… I need you to swear to me that you will put Konoha's interests above everything else. Can you do that?" Asked Naruto as he waited with baited breath for her answer.

Hinata blinked a couple of times and stared blankly at Naruto. _What is he talking about? What could he possibly tell me that would change the way I feel about him? He talks as if I'll hate him once I know this secret of his, and what does Konoha have to do with it? _Thought Hinata, more confused now then before he had spoken. So she did the only thing anybody could do in that situation. "H-Hai Naruto-Kun" She agreed and waited.

Naruto took a deep breath and began with his story, this would take some time. "Ok Hinata, First you have to keep what I am about to tell you to yourself. Not another soul can know what I am about to reveal until the time is right. You swore to think of Konoha before anything else so think of it now."

Naruto Paced around in front of Hinata as he thought of how to proceed. This was not an easy thing to say. It was not like he could just up and say _'hey I'm the host to the 9 tail fox Kyuubi and guess what I traveled back in time because Orochimaru is going to totally fuck us up in a big war and were all going to die'_. She would look at him like he was on drugs and then probably kick his ass for being such a smart ass.

"Hinata do you know of the events that took place 12 years ago just outside of Konoha?" asked Naruto. Hinata stared at him surprised that he would ask such an obvious question. Every body that had ever lived in Konoha knew of the attack by the nine tail demon fox Kyuubi and the story of how the Fourth had destroyed him in single battle at the cost of his own life. "of course I know the story Naruto-kun. Everybody from Konoha knows that the nine tail Fox attacked Konoha a little over 12 years ago and was killed by the Fourth at the cost of his own life."

"No Hinata, everybody knows of a STORY about how the Kyuubi attacked Konoha and about how nothing could stop him, how he killed hundreds of Ninja until finally the Fourth himself faced him in one on one combat and in the preceding battle was mortally wounded while killing the Kyuubi. But it's just that Hinata… A STORY." Said Naruto in a voice slowly filling with ire.

"It's just something that the elders and council of the village made up on the eve after the battle to allow them all to ignore the true sacrifice that was made that night. They use that story to cover up the injustice of what happened that day and every day that has come since."

"You see Hinata the fourth never killed the Kyuubi and the Kyuubi never killed the Fourth. Oh they both disappeared that night and they were both responsible for the others demise but neither actually killed the other." Said Naruto. "Hinata don't you think it's a little strange that even as powerful as the Fourth was that he would be able to single handedly kill a creature that had slaughtered hundreds of other Ninja that would have been Jonin or better. Even as a Hokage it seems like an impossible feat don't you think?" asked Naruto looking at Hinata to gauge her response.

Hinata was blown away. How could he be saying this. How could he possibly say that the Fourth had not killed the Kyuubi and that the village was lying the entire time. what possible reason could the village have to lie about such a thing. Hinata began to question him "Naruto-kun what are you talking about. How can you say such things. But was cut off by Naruto as he continued "Hinata the fourth realized before the battle even began that the Kyuubi could not be destroyed in the mortal sense. The only chance was to seal him inside somebody. But that created a problem in itself. The Kyuubi's was to powerful to seal in just anybody. The chakra system of a normal human being would not be able to contain the immense chakra reserves of the demon and so the only choice was to seal him inside the body of somebody young." Naruto took a deep breath and continued.

"A child's chakra system is still developing throughout their childhood, into their late teens and early adulthood before it finally stabilizes. If the Kyuubi was sealed within the body of a child the demon's chakra would change the development of the host's chakra system and allow for the body to adapt to the huge chakra reserves. Over time the two would meld and the host would become the most powerful ninja alive and when he or she died so would the Kyuubi. It was the perfect solution or rather would have been had the village not ignored his final order."

Hinata was slowly filling with fear and understanding. She had a deep sickening feeling that she knew where this story was going; things were slowly falling into place. Without realizing it she slowly took a step back. Naruto saw the look on Hinata's face change from Worry, to confusion, and finally to fear. Then she took a step away from him. His heart sank to the deepest recesses of his body as he realized that he had lost her. She slowly understood what had happened and the first thoughts into her mind had filled her with fear. Tears filled his eyes and he continued despite the feelings of loss and betrayal.

"The Kyuubi was not a normal being thought and so a normal seal would not suffice. Only a very powerful seal would be able to pull the demon from its mortal body and seal its soul inside the body of another. And the only seal powerful enough to do so was the 'Dead Demon Consuming seal'. But their was another problem. This seal was not meant to seal the spirt in a host. It was meant to swallow the spirit of both the sealer and the sealed into the abyss of hell where they would battle for all eternity."

"But that was not good enough. If the Demon was sealed in such a fashion it was possible that he would simply consume all the souls of the humans and lesser creatures banished to their prison until he was strong enough to overwhelm the gatekeeper and break free into the world again only this time he would be far more powerful. No the only choice was to combine the seal with 3 others. And so the Fourth used the 'Dead Demon Consuming seal' and combined it with two 'four symbol seals' and the 'eight trigrams sealing style' technique"

"The idea being that together they would both seal the demon within the host and allow the demons chakra to be leaked out into the host's chakra system to use as an effective weapon, making the host stronger, faster, and generally more powerful." Naruto stopped for a minute. Hinata stood nearly 5 feet from him now where she had once stood less then 2. He turned his eyes away from her unable to bare the look of horror on her face knowing full well that it was him she was so afraid of. He forced himself to continue. He had started it now, he had to get it out in the open.

"Late in the battle against the Kyuubi the Fourth arrived on the battle field with a large group of ninja, a single female Anbu, and a baby boy. It was this baby that he would seal the nine tails in side of. His final order to the villagers was that this child should not be looked at as monster but as a hero who had sacrificed so much to save his village, a village he did not even know yet. The Fourth prepared the ritual and sealed the Kyuubi inside the boy killing himself in the process. The rest of his ninja died protecting him during the ritual." Naruto cried freely now remembering the vision he had seen while he returned to the past.

Remembering all the years of suffering and pain he had gone through at the hands of the villagers he had given so much to protect. "in the end the villagers ignored the Fourth's last order and threw the boy away as if he was nothing. But worse then that they treated him as if he was a plague, as if he was the demon himself. Where he should have lived the life of a hero he was instead shunned and hated. The Third passed a law stating that none of the children would be allowed to know of this incident and instead would be told a STORY. He hoped that this would prevent the boy from being an outcast."

"But it didn't matter. The adults hated him and their hate soiled their children who began to hate the boy without even knowing why. And so the boy who would have been hero was instead and outcast ridiculed and ostracized by his own people. I was that boy Hinata, I am the host of the Kyuubi."

Hinata stood frozen in place nearly 10 feet from Naruto as he finished. She could not believe what she had heard. It all made sense now. The way the villagers had hated him for what appeared to be no reason at all, the way he always seemed to heal so quickly. How could they have done that to him, how could they have left him out in the cold, all alone to fend for himself. For the first time in her life she actually felt ashamed of her village, of her people. And then she realized what she was doing. She looked at Naruto seemingly just realizing the distance that had grown between them and what must have happened.

She stared into his eyes briefly before he turned away but it was long enough. She had seen the pain, the sadness, and the betrayal painted in his eyes as clear as day. She had betrayed his trust and friendship. She had sworn that she would take away his pain and be there for him, giving him strength as he had given her all these years but instead she, like the rest of her village had done nothing but betray him.

She winced inwardly as she realized she had been calling it HER village, as if he was not part of it. She had never felt so ashamed in her life. She hated what the village had made her into and she hated them. She was filled with a rage that she had never experienced before and she felt an overwhelming sense of guilt for what she had done to Naruto.

"Naruto-kun… I… I… I'm so sorry." She took a step forward towards him and then another. "Please Naruto-kun I didn't mean it, I was just surprised, please forgive me. I'm sor-" Hinata stopped as Naruto turned away from her and began to walk away. She felt her heart shatter.

"Hinata you don't have to apologize there's nothing to apologize for. I knew this would happen and I do not blame you for it. You don't have to say anything. When we leave this clearing I want you to leave any obligations you think you have to me here. I promise I will leave you alone from this moment forward. All I ask is that you set aside your feelings for me when the time comes, for Konoha's sake." And with that Naruto walked towards the edge of the clearing.

Hinata watched as the only person who had ever believed in her turned his back and walked away. "Naruto-kunnnnn" she cried out as she fell to the ground crying. "Please don't leave me. I know I hurt you, I didn't mean to, I was scared and my body acted without me, I beg you, please don't ignore me. You were the only one who ever believed In me, you were the only one who ever cared for me. Please let me care for you, let me stay with you." Naruto turned towards Hinata, surprise clearly written on his face. Did she really still care for him after all she had found out? Hinata ran To Naruto and threw her arms around his neck sobbing uncontrollably into his chest.

Naruto could feel the heat of her tears soaking through his vest and into his shirt. He slowly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. This was more then he could have hoped for, she had taken everything he had said, learned the horrible truth about the Kyuubi and just brushed it all aside, it meant nothing to her in the face of her love for him. "I'm sorry I hurt you Hinata, I should have known you would stay with me despite my secret. I'm sorry I doubted your loyalty. Will you forgive me?"

Hinata looked up at his face and smiled. "theirs nothing to forgive Naruto-kun". Said Hinata and laid her head back down on his chest. Naruto looked at her face and felt sorry for what he had to do, she looked so peaceful now that it was all over but he would have to take that from her, he still had to tell her about all that had happened in the future. She had to know about what was to come. "Hinata, theirs more that I must tell you. I need you to be strong now, I need you to help me complete my mission. I need you to-" Naruto Stopped suddenly, His face turning hard, One hand pushing her back behind him, the other reaching into his kunai pouch.

"Naruto-Kun…" Hinata asked suddenly very concerned. Suddenly 4 Anbu appeared out of the shadows of the forest and approached cautiously. They knew she realized with a start and they were afraid of him. they knew what he was capable of, they knew he had caused the crater and they feared for their lives, and hers they realized with a start. She moved forward and wrapped her arms around his back. The Anbu stiffened at the obvious sign of affection.

"Hyuuga Hinata, Step away from him and come over here now. We have orders to take you into our protection and… escort Uzumaki Naruto to the Hokage." Hinata scowled at the men before her, They had clearly hesitated when choosing their words for what they were doing with Naruto. Taking into custody was more like it. "No, I won't leave Naruto, he needs me. I'll go with him." the Anbu did not look pleased at her choice and one of them began to walk flank Naruto and approach Hinata from the side. Naruto stared at the man and said "Don't touch her, or else." And with that he flashed his eyes at the man which had briefly slit down the middle before returning to normal. The Anbu got the message and quickly backed away.

Naruto looked over his shoulder, he knew the old man would not harm him, it was more likely that he had been told about the surge of energy, or the fight with Sasuke and feared that the demon was beginning to awaken inside him. If he had truly thought it was released he would have sent every ninja he had, not just four Anbu. "Hinata it's ok. Trust in me now and go with them. I will be fine. The old man only wants to talk. Try not to anger your family, they will not be pleased that you have befriended me." With that he stepped forward towards the Anbu, putting his kunai back in his pouch. "Shall we go or would you like to shackle me as well." he chuckled inwardly at the obvious wince the leader made at the tone in his voice.

Hinata stood there, stunned and saddened. He was being taken away, she had just learned his biggest secret and they had overcome it together. And now she was being taken away, back to her family who would no doubt forbid her from seeing him again, her father knew of his secret of course, he would be furious with her. Who knew what would happen now? They left the clearing in opposite directions, him heading for the Hokage tower, and her heading for the Hyuuga complex. She wondered if she would ever be able to talk to him again.


	4. What? 6 man team

**Author Notes:**

Well hello again everybody. I hope that you enjoyed Chapter three. I know I did. Lots of great reviews so far which is always nice so lets keep them coming, I want to hear your opinions and ideas.

Ok so this chapter is going to see some rather interesting changes take place in the dynamics of the story. Follow along and let me know what you all think. I have the whole weekend free which is great. I am hoping to create 2 more chapters this weekend which should see us at chapter 6 by Monday. Time will tell. Oh and of course don't forget to REVIEW.

* * *

**Second Chances**

Chapter Four: What? 6 man team

by Cybergades

* * *

Naruto walked calmly with the three Anbu back towards town and ultimately to the Hokage tower where he would meet the Old man himself and he was sure that the old man was going to have some rather choice words for him about the events of the night. It was unlikely that Sarutobi was unaware of him and Hinata missing the meeting that morning, or the fight with Sasuke and he was certainly aware of the incident with the chakra overload. Any ninja within the village would surely have been able to sense the power unleashed from Naruto when he used the Oodama Rasengan.

He looked at the Anbu and chuckled inwardly. _Can you believe these guys. They are practically shaking in their boots. They must think I'm going to go all nine tails on their asses and rip them to pieces. What a joke. _Naruto said to Kyuubi

**Their just being smart that's all. They know of the power I hold and they fear it. That is the respect that I earned from your people, you should take a page from their book and learn to fear me.** Sneered the Kyuubi

_Ha. That's a laugh. Fear you. Your nothing but a giant caged fur ball. You couldn't hurt a fly right now. And their afraid because they believe that I have your powers. They think that I can just turn into you or something. It's ridiculous. Not that their fear is unwarranted. I could certainly stand toe to toe with them but I don't have the raw power in the way they believe I do. _

Naruto cut off his conversation with the Kyuubi as they reached the front gates to the Hokage tower. It was time to face the firing squad. He was sure this was going to be an interesting conversation. The Guards at the door moved aside to let them in and the 4 entered. Naruto changed his mind as they entered the lobby of the tower. Perhaps the Old man was not so sure of Naruto's state of mind after all. In front of him stood nearly 3 dozen Anbu all dressed in battle gear as if they were expecting to go to battle.

Naruto laughed out loud and the Anbu all stared at him. "Wow you guys are really on edge aren't you. Do I scare you so much that you have to come with such numbers. Don't you think that if I intended to do anything I would have done it out there. What a joke you all are." And with that he headed for the stairs.

The Anbu broke into 4 groups and surrounded him, leading him up to the Hokage's office. he cursed inwardly about his situation. Things were going horribly wrong. The Hokage suspected him enough to send nearly forty Anbu to guard him. how the hell was he expected to protect the village if he was to be under lock and key. And should things get out of hand he would be forced to fight his way free. That would make things nearly impossible for him. How he would save the village from themselves as well as Orochimaru was beyond him. he would just have to be sure that things did not get out of hand.

The Anbu at the front of the pack stepped away from the group and entered the office. Moments later the he was ushered into the room with 3 other guards and the doors closed behind them. The others would wait outside incase they were needed. He supposed that was something. It could have been worse. They could have all come in.

"How's it going old man? You feeling a little insecure in your old age or something. Don't you think all this muscle is a little overboard?" said Naruto mockingly. Sarutobi turned around from the window and looked at the blond haired boy who he commonly referred to as his grandson. In truth he loved the boy like a grandson. He had not wanted all the Anbu present but the council had insisted that this was to big of a risk. Well they could stay but not in his office.

The Anbu Capitan stepped forward and addressed the Hokage. "the boy was found in a clearing outside the village limits by the river Sir. He was found in the presence of Hyuuga Hinata who seemed to be uninjured. When we attempted to extract the Hyuuga heir the boy threatened one of my mean. We were eventually able to secure the heir and she was returned to the Hyuuga complex albeit reluctantly. She did not seem to want to leave his side."

"THE BOY has a name Capitan and you would do well to remember your manners in my presence, You may leave." Said Sarutobi. The Anbu Capitan looked irritated. "With all due respect sir that thing threatened one of my men. It's obvious that the Demon is escaping its prison we should dispose of him now before he is able to break free. You did not see the size of the crater at the site where we found him. It was easily 500 feet in diameter. The Demon is escaping we must act NOW." Said the Capitan in a demanding tone.

The Thirds eyes were like flames when he turned on the Anbu Capitan. "Who do you think you are talking to Capitan or should I say Lieutenant. I am the Hokage of Konoha and I decide when and if we need to do anything to Naruto. Now you are Dismissed and take your men with you. I do not want you in my sight." Said Sarutobi.

One of the Anbu members stepped forward. "But sir, the council instructed us to guard the boy and you. We are not to leave his side." Sarutobi had had enough of this. He slammed his hand down on the desk to emphasis his point. "And I have told you to wait outside. Let us not forget who you answer to. Now leave or I shall demote strip you all of your ranks and send you back to the academy." The Anbu hesitated for a moment, then turned and left, closing the door behind them.

Sarutobi turned to Naruto, his face softer then it had been a moment ago, he seemed almost sad. "I assume you know why you are here Naruto. Is It true that you threatened one of his men." Naruto stepped forward and sat in the chair closest to him. "Yes I know why I am here and yes it is true I gave one of his men a scare. I simply released a little of the Kyuubi's chakra to put them in their place. I did not raise a finger towards them. Hinata had expressed her wishes and they tried to forcibly remove her as if I was some type of danger to her. She was obviously afraid for my safety and they intended to restrain her. I simply let them know I would not tolerate them laying a finger on her."

Sarutobi's eyes widened in surprise for a moment and then set again. Naruto caught the look, he knew the man had been surprised at Hinata's reaction and his level of control over the Kyuubi's power. "So you have learned to tap into the Kyuubi's power. Is that what happened earlier today, did something go wrong" her asked. "Yes I know how to tap into his power. But I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about." Said Naruto, he was not ready to reveal things to the old man. It would only cause problems. "Naruto the energy wave that was released was massive. It could only have come from the Kyuubi. what happened. How did you release so much power. You realize the situation you have put me in."

Naruto Sighed. He knew exactly the situation he was in. "I was trying to create a new Jutsu and I pulled to much chakra that's all there is to it. I knew the jutsu would need a lot so I simply tried to pull as much as I could and got a lot more then I thought I would. As a result the jutsu I was trying to create blew up in my face and caused the crater. It's as simple as that."

Sarutobi chuckled. The thought of the young boy nearly blowing himself up while trying to create a power jutsu was somewhat funny because it could have easily been the truth, even still he knew that it was a lie. But he decided to leave it at that. The boy was obviously hiding the truth for a reason, he had always been able to trust him. he would do so again. Instead he changed his line of questioning to discuss a different topic.

"So why did you tell her Naruto. I would have thought you would have wanted to take that secret to your grave. You know the law in the Lead states that the children are not supposed to know about your true existence." Said Sarutobi. Naruto frowned. "No the law states that the Adults are not supposed to tell the children. I am not an adult, and its my secret. I will tell who I damn well please you old coot. Let us not forget who ignored the Fourth's last order. If it were not for the adults things would have been very different."

Sarutobi signed again. This was always a touchy subject with Naruto. He never failed to remind him about his obligation but it had been nearly a year since he last brought it up. Why was he bringing it up now? he smiled at how well the boy had avoided the important question.

"You are very right Naruto, things would have been very different if the council had listened to the Fourths order and wish. But you know that by the time I was put back into office that the damage had already been done. I did what I thought was needed to protect you. But you still have yet to answer my question. I know that you have told Hyuuga Hinata about the Kyuubi within you, that is why she feared for you and why she refused to leave your side. Am I not correct?"

Naruto laughed. The man may be old but he was still as sharp as a whistle. "Yes your right. I told Hinata-chan about the Kyuubi. It seemed like the right time. She had witnessed me creating my jutsu. She felt the pulse just like you. I wanted her to know anyways. This just presented a good excuse to push me into it." Naruto thought on that for a moment. It was true, as afraid as he was about telling her, he had truly wanted her to know and today's events had given him the perfect excuse to tell her, he wondered if maybe he had subconsciously helped her catch him. There were plenty of times when he could have lost her if he had really have been trying.

Sarutobi raised his eyebrow slightly. He had caught the suffix Naruto had added to the end of Hinata's name. it seemed he had matured more then the old man gave him credit for. Everybody knew that Hinata had a crush on the boy but for him to return the feelings, Sarutobi had thought the boy was oblivious to the girls affections. Obviously not oblivious enough. "You seem to have matured more then I gave you credit for Naruto. I did not think you had realized how she felt about you. But that is obviously not the case. So you thought that because you cared for her that she deserved to know your secret and that things would not be able to progress further for you if you hid it from her."

"I suppose you could say that. I knew she would find out one way. One way or another it would come out. I wanted it to be from me. And I wanted to give her the chance to leave without any regrets. If she had hated me for it would have understand and I would have respected her still. But instead she embraced it. I admit that it scared her at first. She backed away and I thought I would die. I felt somewhat betrayed I suppose. But it was only the surprise that scared her. It took her no time at all to push past it all. I only wish I could be so sure about the others."

Sarutobi grabbed at the change of subject. He had wanted to bring up report he had on his desk of a certain incidence that had occurred between one Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto. "Speaking of the others. It seems that you made quite the impression on your fellow classmates. I understand you defeated Uchiha Sasuke quite effectively and quite brutally. The hospital tells me that he will be fine by morning. Their does not seem to be any serious injuries. Just some deep bruising and a few cuts, which is good because I understand that you have a survival training course tomorrow with Kakashi and Kurenai in the morning."

"I taught Sasuke a lesson, nothing more, nothing less. He was upset because he was punished by Kurenai-sensei for mine and Hinata's absence at the meeting and so he decided he was going to pick a fight. I simply showed him that I was not such an easy target. Perhaps next time he will think twice before trying something so foolish. As for the test tomorrow I'm not concerned. I have faith in myself and the rest of my team mates, even Sasuke." Said Naruto.

"Is there anything else you would like to talk about Naruto. I understand you seemed rather out of sorts today. The rest of your classmates seem to think you were not your normal happy go lucky self today. Anything wrong?" asked Sarutobi, hoping to pry something out of Naruto.

Naruto thought for a moment. The old man did not necessarily have to die in order for Tsunade to become the fifth. He simply needed to step aside and assign her. Getting her to take the position would be the hard part. Even still he would need to fight Orochimaru. But perhaps it could be arranged for him to have some help of his own this time around just like the snake had managed to have his own servants. But if he did not sacrifice himself to take away Orochimaru's arms then their may be problems later. Regardless of the answer he did owe the old man a lot. He had been one of the few that had ever watched out for him. he had to at least give him a fighting chance.

Naruto turned to the Third "Well if that's all old man I think I will go get some sleep." Sarutobi signed and sent him off. "Very well, have a nice night Naruto." Naruto turned away and headed for the door. He stopped just in front of the door and without turning around said to the Third "I had an interesting dream last night. A desert Snake Battled the Monkey for the forest constantly forcing the retreat. In the end only with the help of the Toad and Snail did the Monkey prevail." Naruto stared at the door. "I dream the weirdest things." and with that Naruto left and headed for home leaving Sarutobi to consider his words.

Sarutobi fell back into his seat, exhausted from the days work and somewhat preoccupied by Naruto's words. He had no idea what they were about of course but something about the way he had said it just rubbed him the wrong way. Their was something odd about it. Like it held some hidden meaning. Naruto was never one to speak in riddles but then he was never one to talk about his dreams either.

Sarutobi stared at the papers in front of him. their along with a stack of other papers were the team assignments for this years graduates. Sarutobi had a bad feeling flowing through his bones, something just felt out of place. There was something Naruto was hiding, he was sure of it. He had seen fit to inform Hinata of his secret, an issue he would now have to deal with to ensure she kept his secret. Perhaps he would see fit to inform her of whatever else he was hiding as well.

Sarutobi thought on that for a moment, there was a good possibility that as they got closer he would truly open up to the young Hyuuga. But that would not happen with her father in the way. He would surly forbid her from being anywhere near the boy now. Yes he would have to do something about that. Naruto would not tell him openly about what was going on, he was sure of that now. But if he told the girl Sarutobi would likely be able to convince her to tell him if it was of any important.

The power they had felt worried him as well. Naruto had lied about that to of course, it had not been a new jutsu he was trying, it was something else. He was not sure he was comfortable having Naruto leaving the village on missions now, but if he removed him from his team it would only cause problems. No he would have to find another way to ensure his safety and the safety of the others should something truly go wrong.

Sarutobi stared once again at the papers in front of him and the note about the joint training course that Naruto's team would be participating in tomorrow, and then it hit him. He smiled to himself and stood up. Walking to the door he called for one of his guards. Moments later a guard entered the room. "Hai Hokage-sama. What can I do for you." Asked the guard. "Send for Kakashi and Kurenai and have them wait for me until I am ready to see them. And send someone to get Hyuuga Hinata. I would like to speak to her." Said Sarutobi.

"I will send someone to bring Kurenai and Kakashi at once sir. However Hiashi has told the Anbu who escorted Hinata back to the complex that she will be removed from the genin placement and is not to leave the complex." Said the guard. Sarutobi glared at the guard. "Is everybody in the habit of giving me orders today. It seems I need to demote the lot of you. Send somebody to fetch Hinata at once and remind Hiashi that he is not the Hokage and until the day that changes he will not presume to tell me whom I may and may not speak with." Yelled Sarutobi as he returned to his desk. He looked up to see the guard still standing before him. "NOW." The guard bolted from the room at once and preceded to dispatch Anbu to bring the two jonin and the young Hyuuga to see the Hokage.

* * *

Naruto walked up the steps of his apartment building and down the balcony to his door. He cursed inwardly for about the sixth time since he had left the Hokage. He had made a right mess of things so far. He had revealed his secret to Hinata, beaten up Sasuke, revealed some of his skill to the entire rookie 9, gotten team 7 and 8 sucked into doing the survival training together which could mean problems and most of all he had attracted the attention of the old man in an obvious fashion. He had damn near blown his cover all together. He could not think of a worse way to start his mission off.

_Things are already starting to change fox. if it keeps up like this I may not be able to count on my knowledge of future events. I don't even know if this damn test will be the same tomorrow now that I have gotten Kurenai-sensei involved in it. I'm sure we will have a rather interesting addition to the course. I have to make sure that we pass and get that hard ass Kakashi to take on Team 7._ said Naruto.

**Your stating the obvious again you dumb brat. Stop whining about what you have to do and just do it. Whining to me about it is not going to do anything except piss me off and give me a wicked head ache.** Bitched the Kyuubi

Naruto entered his apartment. It was too late to do anything about it now. he was tired as hell from the sealing and from using so much chakra during the day. He took off his clothes and climbed into bed. He would have to deal with all this tomorrow and hope for the best. If worse came to worse he would just have to use a little of his Anbu skills and make sure they passed. He closed his eyes and within minutes he was asleep.

* * *

Hinata was sitting on her bed and staring at the floor. She had just been excused from her fathers' presence. Rather he had ordered her to go to her room and to stay there after completely ruining her dreams and hopes. She had sent orders to the Hokage that she was to be removed from Team 8 and taken off the genin placement list. She was no longer to be a kunoichi. He had forbid her to see Naruto or even leave the complex until further notice. She was not even to leave her room except for meals and to fulfill her duties.

She had begged him to let her remain a ninja. She had told him that she would do better in her training and that she would practice hard. He had denied her and then he had hit her when she tried to talk back to him again. She could still feel that burn of where his hand had gone across her face. She was sure there was a mark. She lay back on her bed, rolled towards the wall with a pillow in her arms and cried silently. She squeezed the pillow and imagined that it was a certain blond haired boy.

That was all she would ever be able to do anymore. She would only be able to see him in her dreams now she realized. Her father would see to it that she never saw him again. "I'm sorry Naruto-kun. Please forgive me" she cried as she thought about the boy she loved finding out about her punishment. He would be alone again and it was all her fault. If she had just let him go, if she had not followed, then she would still be a ninja and she would still be there for him.

She was brought out of her thoughts by a knock on the door. She sat up quickly, whipping the tears from her eyes and walking to the door. She was surprised to see her cousin Neji before her, he had barely ever talked to her. What could he possibly want. "Hello Neji… is there something I can help you with" Hinata asked quietly.

Neji frowned inwardly. This was why he hated this family. They were all sick. Hinata was the best of them; he had realized that a long time ago. She had always been kind to him. She was of course to weak for her families liking and so they punished her constantly for it. And now when she finally get up the courage and strength to do what they want they beat her for it. Her own father at that. He would never understand the way the main family did things.

"You are requested to attend the Hokage. Get dressed and come to the front of the complex. There is an Anbu waiting to escort you." And with that Neji turned and left without waiting for an answer. Hinata stared straight ahead for at least a minute after Neji had left before she realized what she was doing and closed the door to begin to change. She got out of her sleeping wear and put on her ninja clothes. This was the last time she would likely wear them she realized.

Hinata opened the door and walked towards the front of the complex to where Neji would be waiting. She rounded the corner and halted in place when she heard the Anbu speaking with her father. It made her smile to hear the words. Inwardly of course. She would never be foolish enough to smile openly at her fathers misfortune but it made her feel good to know he was being yelled at after what he had done to her, even if it he was not being yelled at for that reason.

"The Hokage has ordered Miss Hinata to attend him at the Hokage tower. It is to be a private session and one which you were not invited to sir." Said the Anbu. Hiashi looked furiously at the ninja "I am her father and the Head of the Hyuuga clan. Who do you think you are to tell me what I can and can not do with my daughter? She is forbidden to leave this complex." Said Hiashi. The Anbu sighed. "I am here by direct order from the Hokage. The very Hokage who you server Hiashi and I suggest you remember that. The Hokage wishes me to inform you that HE is the Hokage and not you and that until the day that changes that you will follow his orders and not presume to tell him what he can and can not do with his people." And with that the Anbu agent pushed past Hiashi and headed towards Hinata.

"Hyuuga Hinata I am here to escort you to the Hokage. If you would come this way please we do not want to keep him waiting." Said the Anbu as he guided Hinata towards the door. Hiashi stepped in front of him preparing to say something but was merely pushed aside roughly by the Anbu as they walked through the door. "I am sure that you simply meant to bid your daughter farewell and that is why you stepped in front of me Hiashi. Otherwise I would have been forced to inform the Hokage about your attempt to go against his orders and I am sure that would have brought harsh consequence. Please have a nice night. I will return Miss Hinata when the Hokage orders it." And with that they left.

* * *

The Hokage stood in his office with his back towards the two Jonin. Both had been awoken from deep sleeps as was obvious on their faces by the bags under their eyes but they stood at attention none the less. Sarutobi considered his words carefully before beginning. "I understand that the two of you will be performing Kakashi's survival training course together tomorrow morning with both your teams. I have read the report you filed Kurenai. What was your reasoning behind doing so." The Hokage paused to be sure that she would not answer before beginning again "ah I see. You did it to make the rest of their teammates angry in hope that it would keep them out of trouble in the future. So I suppose that means that you are responsible in some way for the fight between Naruto and Sasuke and possibly even the subsequent release of so much of Naruto's energy. Perhaps we will never know"

Sarutobi smiled. He could sense her unease. This was exactly what he wanted. "And you Kakashi. You are equally at fault for not being present on time. had you been their you might have stopped her from ordering around your team but since you were not she was forced to deal with them. It seems to me that both of you are at fault." Sarutobi smiled again. they were right where he wanted them. He turned to begin again but was stopped by a knock at the door.

"Hokage-sama I apologize for disturbing you but you asked to be notified the moment that Hyuuga Hinata arrived." Said the guard. "yes please bring her in" he said to the guard before turning back to the two in front of him. "You two shall wait for me out in the hall. I shall call you when I am ready, at which time we shall continue this. Do not think that you will get off easily for what you have done. Dismissed." The two jonin turned and left the room to be replaced by the young Hyuuga Hinata.

Sarutobi looked at the young girl as she walked in and smiled. "Hello Hinata please come in and have a seat" he said sweetly "I hope I have not woken you. I know it is rather late but I wished to talk to you about what transpired today. I am rather worried about Naruto and I understand that you were with him most of the day so I thought perhaps we should chat." Said Sarutobi as he sat behind his desk.

Hinata soured at the sound of the mans voice. This was the Hokage that had let the villagers ignore the Fourths final wish and had left her Naruto to deal with the cruelty of the villagers for his entire life. She hated everything about him and no amount of kindness towards her could change that. Even so she knew her courtesies. She would have to be respectful or else she would give away Naruto's secret. She had promised not to tell anyone that she knew.

"That's quite alright Hokage-sama. I was not sleeping, I am just as worried about Naruto-kun as you are. Is he in any trouble." She figured if she had to be courteous the least she could do was pump him for information. "Naruto is not in any trouble Hinata. He is back at his apartment by now and likely fast asleep. You need not worry about him. He is not in any trouble." He smiled at the girl.

Sarutobi was well aware that the girl must hate him right now. Naruto had told her all about the Kyuubi within him and how it had happened. But no doubt he had not had the time to tell her that it had been He who had protected Naruto as best he could from the village, that his hands had been tied when he came into power because of what the council had already done. He realized he would have to just come straight to the point with her. She would not speak forthright with him as long as she felt he was guilty of such great crimes against the boy she loved.

"Let me get straight to the point Hinata. I understand that Naruto has informed you about the Nine Tails Fox that is sealed within him and the way in which it came to be there. I also understand that you are now aware that the village ignored the Fourth's final wish to treat Naruto as a hero and instead treated him like an outcast." Sarutobi looked at Hinata, her eyes were wide with surprise, she was obviously unprepared for his bluntness. Hinata stared in surprise. How did he know that he had told her? Had she failed him again?

"How… how did you know?" asked Hinata "Truthfully I did not know for sure when I spoke to Naruto but I was fairly certain. I pressed him on the issue and he informed me that he felt you deserved to know. And so upon speaking with him I decided to call you here tonight and discuss the responsibility which he has forced upon you by telling you his secret, a responsibility that I'm sure you do not mind holding. You are after all in love with him." said Sarutobi.

Hinata's eyes shot open as wide as they could. He even knew of her love for him. how could this be happening. Oh how had she failed Naruto so badly? She wanted to cry. "Do not look so sad child. You misunderstand your situation." Hinata was confused now. she had no idea what was going on. why had he called her here. "Hinata there are many things that I must tell you tonight. I am not sure that I would have liked Naruto to tell you this secret so soon but the fact is that he has decided that he cares for you enough to open up to you a part of himself which he has kept locked up his entire life. He has shared a secret with you of which he has never told another living soul." He sighed.

"I hope you understand the significance of what he has done. He has made himself vulnerable to you, something he had swore never to do. He has been hurt so much in his life that he has built up a strong wall around his heart to protect himself. And now for the first time in his life he has decided to tear down that wall for one person. And that person is you Hinata." Hinata could not believe what she was hearing. It did not make any sense. Why did he care so much for Naruto after all he had let happen to him? It just did not make sense.

"I do not understand. How can you speak so kindly of him when it is you who did this to him. you have allowed him to suffer for 12 years. You let the villages ridicule him and treat him as an outcast, you let them beat him and turn their children again him as well. he has been utterly along his entire life and its all your fault. Your not worthy of the title Hokage. I am ashamed to off my village and my people. I hate you all for what you have done to him." screamed Hinata.

Sarutobi's eyes grew heavy with sadness, he turned the chair away from Hinata and stared out the window over the village. Then he began to speak with a voice filled with sadness and regret. "You are very right Hinata. I do not deserve this title. It is more of a curse then an honor. I have failed Naruto and this village but most of all I have failed myself. I wish everyday that I could go back in time and fix things so that Naruto would never have had to live the life he has but all the wishing in the world will not change the fact that its just not possible." He sighed and turned back towards Hinata with tears in his eyes.

"I do not believe Naruto had time to fully explain to you what took place after the Kyuubi was sealed within him Hinata so let me fill you in on a few points. In the aftermath of the attack the Council took control of the village to manage its affairs while a new Hokage was appointed. In other words me. Between the time that the Fourth died and the time that I was appointed nearly 3 weeks passed. By the time I was instated and found out about Naruto the damage had already been done."

"The council had already covered up the real events of that night. They had every intention of just killing Naruto and being done with it once and for all. I was able to save him from that fate but little more. Their was no way for me to safely reveal the his true existence to the public any longer. Not without turning the city against the council and creating a war between the clans. And so Naruto was forced to sacrifice again to save his village."

"And so I did what I thought was the next best thing. I made a law that prevented the adults from telling the younger generation about the Kyuubi and Naruto. I thought this would save him from a life as an outcast and that he would be able to at least live a normal life. But the adults found other ways to turn their kids against Naruto. They believed and still do believe that Naruto was not just the Host to the Kyuubi but that he was in fact the Kyuubi himself, that the demon had seized him and that he would turn on the village at the first chance he got."

"This village has done a terrible wrong against Naruto and he has done nothing but give of himself his entire life. Hinata you have to understand that I love Naruto as a son. I have hoped for as long as I can remember that the day would come when he was able to reveal his secret to somebody and open up to that person. That he would be able to finally have some peace in his life. I believe that he has made the right choice in picking you as such a person. I just hope you have the strength to do what is needed, to be their for him. He has sacrificed for this village and for you. Now you must do the same for him." Sarutobi stood up and walked over to the window again. he was restless. This was not a discussion he expected to be having so soon or with one so young.

Hinata stared in amazement. A small portion of her belief in the village restored. At least the Hokage was still a great man; at least he was on Naruto's side. "I will do whatever it takes to ease my Naruto-kun's pain. I love him." said Hinata with a surprising amount of conviction. Sarutobi smiled at her strength of conviction. She was showing great strength already, overcoming her shyness in an instant.

"first Hinata you must realize that you may never tell anyone of the secret that Naruto has shared with you. Secondly now that he has opened up to you, you must be there for him always. He will need you more now then ever. I am certain that something is wrong with him although I am not sure what. I trust his judgment for the time being but I want you to be their for him, give him your strength and let him know that he is not alone anymore."

"But my father, he has forbid me to see Naruto-kun anymore, or even leave the house. And he has refused to let me be a ninja anymore. How am I to be with Naruto-kun if I am not a ninja." Cried Hinata, suddenly remembering the hopelessness of it all. her father had stolen it all away from her, her very life. Sarutobi smiled. "Fear not child I will deal with your father. This is an order from the Hokage. You shall be a Ninja, you shall stay by Naruto's side as your ninja life permits."

Hinata smiled. She was so happy. She was going to get to be a ninja, she was going to get to be with Naruto, and she was even going to get to see the look on her fathers face when he found out that she was going to get to disobey his direct orders by order of the Hokage himself. It was great. She paled. It was all for nothing. "but I am not on Naruto-kun's team. How am I suppose to stay near him if we are on different teams. Our missions will almost always take us away from each other and so will our training." Cried Hinata. She couldn't stand it. Her heart was in pieces. She had been so hopeful that it would all be alright and now it was ruined again.

Sarutobi smiled. It was time to bring them in. this was going to be interesting. He walked over to the door and called for the guard. "Hai Hokage-sama. What can I do for you." Said the man. "Please send in Kakashi and Kurenai." Said Sarutobi. He turned to Hinata. "it's alright Hinata. I have everything worked out. Just calm down and watch."

Kakashi entered the room followed by Kurenai preparing to get blasted again and was surprised to see Hinata still present. Why would he call them back in with her still here he wondered. Sarutobi sat in his chair, looked at Hinata and then towards the two jonin and began to speak. "Kakashi, Kurenai, I wish to inform you both that as of tomorrow you are now joint commanders of team 7. Team 7 and team 8 shall merge to become a single 6 man team. The two of you shall command this team together. I figured since you liked the idea of doing a joint training test so much that this would be perfect for you." Sarutobi smiled at the looks on their faces.

"But Hokage-sama, you can't possibly expect me to work with him. he's lazy, he's always late, and… and… he's a PERVERT." Yelled Kurenai. Kakashi looked at Kurenai with annoyance. "I am not lazy." He insisted. The Third chuckled to himself. He found it funny that Kakashi was upset by the lazy comment but made no attempt to deny the part about being a pervert. "You will both do as I commanded you and that is final. No as much as I would like to say that this is just a punishment the truth is not so simple." He sighed and continued.

"Naruto has informed Hinata about the Kyuubi which resides within him. I feel that it is important now that he has opened up to somebody that they be able to spend as much time as possible together so that he begins to mature. He has been alone his whole life, it is important that he get used to being able to talk to someone and trust somebody enough to reach out to them when he is in need. In addition I am convinced that he is hiding something, that something is bothering him greatly and I believe that he will inform Hinata of what this is in due time. more likely then not he will tell her long before he will tell anyone else. I wish her to have that chance so that she may inform one of the three of us should it be nessisary. What happened tonight was not natural. Even with the Kyuubi's power it should not have been possible for him to release so much energy. And tonight when I spoke with him he seemed genuinely distracted by something."

"You two will see to it that they are put together as often as possible, and that they have every opportunity to grow together. I believe Hinata can benefit just as much from Naruto's strength as he can benefit from her. I trust that you two have no problems with this" said Sarutobi in a voice that left no doubt that it was a statement and not a question. "No Hokage-sama. We shall follow your orders. But don't you think you are getting ahead of yourself. They have not even passed their tests yet. They are not genin until they pass my survival training tomorrow." Said Kakashi.

"I am well aware of this Kakashi. And it is for that reason that Kurenai shall be deciding weather they pass or fail. I'm afraid I can not trust that you will not fail them just for the sake of failing them like you have every other team for as long as I can remember." Said Sarutobi. "well I suppose that's everything for tonight. Hinata I imagine you will want to get home and get some sleep. I will send an Kurenai with you to explain my orders to your father and to impress upon him the knowledge that he should not strike his daughters." And with that he dismissed them.

The three headed for the door, intending to leave the Hokage to his thoughts but before Kakashi could leave he was stopped. "Kakashi I need to speak to you a little longer." They returned to the desk to speak further. "I believe you already know what I am going to ask of you but I will say it anyway. The only way that Naruto could have gotten so much energy today is if he was being flooded with chakra to the point of suffering from chakra overload. I can not even begin to speculate as to why this would happen but one thing is for certain, it has something to do with the Kyuubi. I want you to watch him Kakashi. You were the Fourth's student, you above all others have done your best to respect his final wish. If it comes to it I know that he would want you to be the one to kill him. just be sure that there is no other way."

"I will do what is required of me sir but I do not believe that the fox is escaping. Only time will tell us what is truly going on but if the fox is truly trying to escape Naruto would likely be going mad right about now. from what I understand he seems to be anything by crazy, in fact if anything it seems like he has a great amount of control over the fox. I still believe that he will become a great ninja like the Fourth believed he would." And with that Kakashi left.

* * *

Hinata walked away from the living room towards her bedroom leaving the arguing behind her. Her father was furious just as she knew he would be but he was even more upset about being told how to treat his own daughter not to mention that it was her sensei that was talking down to him, the head of the Hyuuga clan. She could not help but smile. She opened the door to her bedroom and walked inside. She quickly got changed and climbed into bed.

Tomorrow would be the start of a new life her for she realized, a life together with the one she loved. They would be together practically everyday, it was wonderful. She could hardly wait. She sighed happily at the thought of bunking tenting with Naruto. Kurenai had told her that as long as she passed the test tomorrow and promised to behave herself until such time that it became appropriate to act on her emotions in that manner that she would see to it that the two of them were tent mates. "after all the Hokage did say to ensure you spent as much time together as possible." She had said. She had laughed a little saying that she saw no reason that the two of them could not cuddle a little during the night.

Hinata closed her eyes and went to sleep. In the morning she would awake fresh and ready for the new day, her new life. She would fight for what this chance and she would pass this test. She would not let anything stand in her way.

* * *

It was dark, so dark that he couldn't see a thing. Slowly the fog in front of his eyes began to lift and light began to spill into his eyes. He was in a room that he did not recognize. It was warm and filled with color. He stood against the far wall looking over the room. The room was a large master bedroom suite. It stretched out in front of him at least 40 feet and at least 30 feet to either side in a giant rectangle. In front of him at the far side of the room was the entrance to the room. To the left in the far corner was another door that lead to what looked like a bathroom and beside the door was a large bed. To his left along the back wall was a large fireplace that was crackling warmly. To his right along the back wall was a large desk with papers spilled out all over it, seals that Naruto had never seen in his life scribbled across the pieces of paper and their in the centre of them all was the one seal he did recognize.

The seal that had ripped the Kyuubi from it's body and sealed it within him, there as no mistaking it. That was definitely the seal, but where was he, and how did somebody else know of that seal. It was a forbidden technique and only a handful of people knew about it. One of them was dead, the other three would never have it displayed so blatantly. What was going on here. Naruto snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of voices, voices that he did not recognize. Before he could do anything the doors burst open and a man with long messy blond hair ran into the room yelling back over his shoulder. "Tell my wife to bring the child and see to it that she is protected. Gather 30 of your best men and meet me at the front gates. We will beat the Kyuubi I swear it." The man quickly glanced over the seals one by one as if memorizing them and then took off running the way he had come.

Naruto could have swore the mans eyes had been different the last time he had saw him. he recognized him not of course. It was the Fourth. Why he was dreaming about the fourth or how he knew what he even looked like was beyond him. in fact all of this was beyond him, he had no idea where this place was or what was going on. Suddenly he felt dizzy. His eyes began to haze over again and felt his knees give out. He tried to force himself to see but it was pitch black again. it was all gone.

Naruto's eyes shot open like a bullet. He glanced quickly around the room trying to get his bearings before realizing that he was in his own apartment. The sun was starting to rise in the sky and peak through his window. Today was the day of the survival test he realized with disgust. He had hated it the first time, and now he had to take it again. the only good part was he got a chance to kick Kakashi's ass for that thousand years of pain bullshit that he had pulled the first time round.

He sat up slowly, threw off the blankets and headed for the shower. It was going to be a long day. He hoped that Hinata had not gotten in too much trouble for what happened yesterday but knowing her father she had probably cried herself to sleep last night after being told how useless she was. What a fucking asshole he thought. He would have to straighten that guy out sometime soon. And Neji too he realized. That was not something he looked forward to. Neji had been a true friend to him in the last several years of his life before he had died with the rest of Naruto's friends.

He did not relish the idea of having to put up with his high and mighty attitude and 'you can't beat fate' bullshit again after so many years. It had been bad enough the first time around. Their were so many things he had to fix and even more he had to do right again for a second time. it was enough to drive a guy crazy he thought. Oh well like the fox said no point whining over it. Naruto got into the shower and continued with his morning routines.

* * *

Sasuke stood in the lobby of the hospital preparing the leave. Outside Sakura was waiting for him, ready to head to the training grounds to take the survival training. The last thing on his mind was the survival training. No he was thinking about Naruto and how easily he had beaten him the night before. He had spent most of the night thinking about it. About how the boy had acted and about how he had reversed his moves and countered so effectively. At first he thought the blond had been playing with him, just toying with him for pleasure but as the night went on and he played through the fight over and over again he had changed his mind.

The boy had never been into the fight to begin with. There had obviously been something wrong with him. he had seen him flinch in pain half a dozen times during the fight and just before he had blacked out when trying to stand at the end he could have swore he saw him fall to the ground in pain when everybody was rushing to help him instead of Naruto.

He had not been playing at all he realized, on the contrary he had been purposely holding back because he did not want to cause any serious damage. Naruto had merely done what was needed to subdue him in the quickest possible fashion. He was certain of it now, he would have to categorize the boy again now. He was certainly not a dobe.

Sasuke walked outside to meet the Sakura and found that team 8 had joined them along with Kakashi and Kurenai. "Hello Sasuke. I'm glad to see that Naruto did not hurt you to badly. It would have really been to bad if I had to fail you just because you stupidly picked a fight with a much better fighter then you." Said Kakashi in a mocking voice.

The boy sneered at his sensei. He had heard that he was an asshole but this was a little ridiculous. He had only been here 5 seconds and already he was making wise cracks. "Yes I'm quite all right. Yesterday was just a fluke. I'm sure I could take Naruto if we sparred again but for now I will have to settle with this survival training of yours." Said Sasuke and with that he headed off towards the training grounds with the others close behind.

* * *

Naruto waited at the training grounds for the rest of his teammates. He sat in a tree, masking his chakra without even thinking, his Anbu training running its course naturally. He was surprised to see everybody show up together, even more surprised to see that Kakashi was with them and ON TIME. However what surprised him most of all was when they stopped nearly 10 feet from where he sat high above them and waited. For him all people he realized when he heard Sasuke "Where the hell is that Dobe. Can't he even show up on time to his own punishment." Bitched Sasuke. Naruto Jumped from the tree and landed on the middle training post less then a foot in front of them. "Perhaps you should rephrase that Sasuke. You see it was me that was waiting for you, and I would have thought that I proved to you last night that I am anything but a dobe." Mocked Naruto.

The genin jumped at the sound of his voice and the sight of him standing right behind them while the jonin seemed to hide their surprise as his stealth capabilities a little better. "where the hell did you come from" yelled Kiba. Naruto laughed. "I've been here the entire time. I saw you guys coming from nearly a mile away. It's not my fault you're crappy at detecting people." Said Naruto.

Kakashi decided it was better to ignore the issue for the time being, it was just one more incident to add to a growing list of things that did not make sense about him. It seemed that Kurenai had the same idea. They stepped forward and addressed their team. "We have several announcements to make so listen up. First of all this will be your genin selection test. if you pass you will become genin and become a member of this team. If you fail you will return to the academy and retake your training at which point you will be given another chance to become genin." Said Kurenai

"The test has changed a bit due to the nature of having 6 people testing instead of 3. the test is a simple one, there are 4 bells. You have 4 hours to get them by any means nessisary however since there are 6 of you instead of three Kurenai is going to be working defense for me. At the end of the 4 hours. Those who have a bell pass, those who don't fail. Its as simple as that." Said Kakashi. Sakura stared. "but sensei there are only 4 bells and 6 of us." Said Sakura. "Yes and?" Kakashi looked at Sakura with a questioning look. "but that means that no matter what 2 of us will fail." Said Sakura.

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. "Exactly. You have 4 hours. Beg-" Kakashi was cut off by Kurenai "not so fast Kakashi. The last part of the announcement is that as of today this is one team. Those of you who pass will form the new team 7. Now Begin"


	5. Pass or Fail? A new beginning

**Author Notes:**

Hello again. The chapters just keep coming. Quick note to everybody. Providing I do not loose my inspiration this story should come in around 75 – 100 chapters with each sitting around the length of the rest of my chapters so far (i.e. 8000 – 10000 words) so this will be a very long story which I hope you all enjoy thoroughly.

Ok so I bet everybody was surprised to see a 6 man genin team. No worries all will be fine. This chapter deals primarily with the survival test and then the official setup of the new team 7 at which point we will do a little bit of a time jump of sorts to jump to their first important mission. After all there is no point showing them doing all the pointless 'get the cat out of the tree' missions.

Hope you all enjoy and keep REVIEWING.

* * *

**Second Chances**

Chapter Five: Pass or Fail? A new beginning

by Cybergades

* * *

Naruto stood staring at Kakashi and Kurenai about ready to have a heart attack after this latest piece of advice. How in the hell could things be changing so much and so fast. This was a complete mess. He quickly snapped to his senses as he realized that the survival training had begun. He had intended to keep the group together so that they could assault the jonin's together but his momentary lapse in concentration had screwed that up.

Sasuke and Sakura had scattered in different directions the moment Kurenai-sensei gave them the go ahead. They had not even stopped to think about the true purpose of the test but then none of them had the first time around so he could not really blame them for that. Even still that was going to make his job a hell of a lot harder.

Kiba it seemed had the same idea since moments after Sasuke and Sakura had left he did the same leaving Shino, Hinata and Naruto behind. Naruto smiled inwardly. It was not a complete loss. Both Hinata and Shino had always been very insightful. He had no doubt that they both realized the futile nature of attacking a jonin by yourself when you were only a genin. After all they were Jonin for a reason.

"Naruto-kun we have to stick together" said Hinata in a low voice. Shino just nodded his agreement while Naruto smiled. "You are quite right Hina-chan." Said Naruto before motioning towards the trees and saying "come on. This is not the place to discuss our plans." And with that he took off for the tree line. Hinata blushed at the nickname that Naruto had used and then quickly followed after him and Shino who had already started towards the trees.

Shino gave Naruto a curious look as they headed into the woods. He had expected the blond to take off with the others leaving only himself and Hinata to work together as a team. The boy had quite surprised him when he made no move to run for cover and then gave a look of what appeared to be annoyance when he saw his other teammates run off as if he had known the point of the test all along and was upset to see that the rest had missed it.

He smiled slightly at the thought of having Naruto on his team. He had not thought much of him during his days at the academy but the battle between Sasuke and the blond had proven to him beyond a shadow of a doubt that the boy was not as weak as everybody thought him to be. Despite how odd it was for their two teams to be joining together Shino saw a lot of benefit from having Naruto on their team. He had seen how Hinata acted towards him as was well aware of her feelings for him as was everybody else. He was sure that having the two on the same team would help bring Hinata out of her shell.

Shino looked back at the young Hyuuga behind him; the blush was still evident on her face. He had not missed the nickname and apparently neither had she. Naruto had said it as if it were nothing which was funny enough in itself. He wondered if the boy had any idea at all what effect that simple name had on her.

Naruto came to a stop at the base of a large tree and waited for his two teammates to catch up. This was as good a place as any to discuss their battle plans. He could sense everybody from here which was important since he knew he would eventually have to recruit the others if they were going to pass this test. But for now his objective was to ensure that Shino and Hinata were on the same page as he was.

Hinata stopped beside Shino and stared and Naruto who was leaning against the tree casually as if there was nothing to worry about. Naruto seemed to be thinking and then suddenly said "I'm assuming that you both understand the true meaning of this test." Hinata was about to confirm Naruto's statement but was beaten to it by Shino. "It's a test of teamwork. The bells are put in place to make us overlook the underlying test which is teamwork. If we were all thinking clearly it would have been obvious to all of us that the only way to successfully take on a jonin was if we worked as a team." Said Shino

Hinata picked up where Shino had left off by adding "The bells are merely used to make everybody overlook that fact and instead think only for themselves. In the ninja world the lone ninja is a danger to the whole team. This test is meant to see if we can work as a team even when we know that the end result will be a loss to that same team."

Naruto smiled at the two in front of him. They had caught almost all of it but had missed on key point. He could not blame them for it but he would enlighten them all the same. "There is one more point which you both missed. Ninja's are expected to be willing and able to sacrifice themselves for their mission should the need arise. This test focuses on that point as well."

"However with all that said I think everybody missed on the most important point of all. They never once said that the ONLY way to pass was to have a bell at the end of the test. And they never said that they could not take those bells BACK. This test is about teamwork. If we work as a team we pass as a team and that is the point. If by some chance we were able to get bells while working alone without team work they would simply take them back and fail us all."

"Our goal for now should be to work as a team as much as possible. I believe our best bet is to work in 2 groups attacking as one. I think we all know that getting Sasuke to cooperate with us will be next to impossible so let's just leave him to do his own thing. In the end I will deal with him. The teams will be me and Hinata, and then Shino, Sakura, Kiba." Said Naruto.

Naruto looked back and forth between the two and waited for their confirmation. He was pleased to see that they both agreed and continued with the rest of his plan. "Shino you will go to Kiba and discuss our plans with him while Hinata goes to Sakura. In the mean time I will keep Kakashi and Kurenai busy. Let's keep in mind that they think that we will all work separate of each other. Or at least they think that most of us will. We can use that to our advantage." Said Naruto

"They will expect me to just attack them head on because that's my style, it always was. I'm the loud mouth that always liked to play pranks. Well I will give them exactly what they expect and while they are busy thinking of me that will you guys the chance to get the rest of out plan put into position. When everything is set me and Hinata will take Kakashi while the rest of you take Kurenai. I will get the bells and that will end the test. Easy as pie." Said Naruto in a happy tone.

Shino thought on this for a moment. It seemed that Naruto had thought this out quite a bit which was surprising seeing as how they only knew about the nature of the test for a few minutes. It was as if he knew what was coming and what's more it was as if he knew all of his teammates inside and out and was able to understand how and what they would think.

He did not understand how the blond understood all of this but he did agree with his review of the situation. Using their sensei's preconceptions of their students against them would be an effective tool and it was true that everybody would expect Naruto to just charge ahead blindly. His teams had the highest chances of success and a 2 pronged attack would give the best chance for success. One team dealing with Kurenai while another attacked Kakashi to extract the bells. It was not going to be easy by any stretch of the mind but it would at least be possible.

Naruto looked at both of his teammates, pleased to be able to work with them again even if it was only for the first time in their eyes. They had done so many missions together in his future and had become great friends. He still found it hard to keep his memories in check from time to time. he so wanted to be able to have those relationships back again and it killed him to have to wait. But he had more important things at hand right now such as passing this infernal test. he sighed and dismissed his team to their duties.

* * *

Shino Nodded to Naruto and headed off further into the forest where he knew Kiba was hiding. As he left he saw Naruto stop to talk to Hinata briefly before she too left to handle her part of their plan. He wondered what had happened the night before when the two had ran off. He guessed he would have to wait to find out.

Shino hurried through the forest and finally came to a stop beside his friend and stared down at him with emotionless eyes. Kiba always said how much he hated that Shino never showed any emotion. He said it creped him out sometimes. Shino kneeled next to Kiba and tapped him on the shoulder before beginning to explain the plan. When he was finished Kiba looked irritated more then anything.

Kiba glared and the bug user with fire in his eyes. He could not believe what Shino had just said. How could they agree to a plan that the idiot had come up with? He had failed at the academy twice and barely passed the third time. His victory over Sasuke had obviously been a fluke; there was no other way to explain it. And what was worse was that Hinata was on his team. How the hell could that happen? He did not deserve Hinata; she was too good for him.

"How the hell could you let Hinata be on his team, the three of us should be working together and leaving the loser to deal with his own teammates? We can do this by ourselves. We do not need his stupid plan or his help." Kiba yelled softly. "On the contrary, we do not have what it takes to beat a jonin let alone 2 jonin and if we have any hope of passing this test and thus becoming genin we have to work together with Naruto." Said Shino calmly seemingly unaffected by Kiba's temper.

"Fine so let Him have Sakura while the 3 of us take on Kurenai, what the hell should Hinata be on his team for this, she is just as suited for working with us and she was on our team to begin with." Whined Kiba. Shino sighed "You need to look at this without your emotions Kiba, your jealousy has no place in this test and giving it a place is only going to cause us trouble. Let me remind you that we will all fail if we do not work together." Said Shino

Kiba seethed quietly as he thought briefly on Shino's words. He knew the bug user was right but it pissed him off to no end. How was it that after all these years of trying to impress Hinata that she did not even look at him as more then a friend while the idiot had all her love and didn't even realize it let alone return it. It was just bullshit and now he was going to have to work together with him.

"Only four of us can pass Shino, do you honestly think he is going to let his own teammates fail. Two of the 3 of us will be left out in the cold and it's more then likely going to be me and you because I do not think he will let Hinata fail." Bitched Kiba as he sat seething. "It appears you were not listening to me when I explained this plan earlier Kiba. The test is not about the bells, they are only a distraction. The test is about team work. If we pass we pass as a team and none of us will fail, if we ignore this underlying fact then even the ones of us who get a bell will likely be failed as the lone ninja is dangerous to the team structure and therefore not worth the risk." Said Shino as he sat down against a tree. He could tell this was going to take a little time.

Kiba sighed deeply and submitted himself to his fate. He did not like it one bit but he was not about to risk having to repeat his academy years because of jealousy. He would deal with this test now and then deal with the moron after they had all passed. He would jus have to show Hinata how much of a loser Naruto really was and then Hinata would come running to him. it was a perfect plan and he was sure it would work. so for now he would cooperate.

"Alright I will cooperate so what the hell do we have to do?" asked Kiba in a resigned tone. Shino stared at the boy with confusion. He had not expected him to give up so soon. He was sure it was going to take a little more time before he was able to get Kiba to agree and move on with the plan. He wondered what Kiba had up his sleeve. He was fairly certain it would not be anything that would jeopardize their mission so he would leave it be for now. But he would have to keep an eye on him after their test. He personally felt that Hinata and Naruto were well suited for each other. Naruto would help make Hinata strong and give her the confidence she so badly needed, while Hinata would help calm Naruto of his rebellious attitude and give him a dose of humility which he badly lacked.

"We are responsible for dealing with Kurenai-sensei. Naruto will engage both Kurenai and Kakashi while we move into place along with Sakura and Hinata. When the time is right Hinata will engage Kakashi directly to split his attention between Naruto and her. At that moment Kurenai-sensei will no doubt try to overwhelm Naruto and get to Hinata. It's our job to engage her before she overwhelms Naruto and then hold her off with Sakura while Naruto moves against Kakashi again. While Kakashi is distracted by Hinata, Naruto will use his speed to slip past Kakashi's defenses and riddle him with blows of which he will no doubt be able to block or at least most of them."

"While he is on the defensive Naruto will cut the bell belt from his waist, Hinata will secure the now free bells while Naruto continues to keep Kakashi busy. And of course somewhere in all of this you can be sure that Sasuke will get involved although we are not sure when, where, or how." Said Shino. He looked towards the clearing where he could sense the 2 jonin's and prepared to leave. He had sensed Naruto heading that way but suddenly he could not feel him anymore. He was certain that meant Naruto was about to engage them. They had to leave now.

"Come on, It's about to begin, we can't be late or the plan will fail." And with that the bug user started to leave. Kiba stared at Shino. It was a good plan actually which just pissed him off even more, why could he not have come up with a plan like that. He stood and headed after Shino along with Akamaru.

* * *

Hinata was heading towards Sakura to fill her in on the plan that they had come up with. She had just stopped sensing Naruto around the tree line a moment ago so she knew she was running out of time. Anytime now he would engage their two sensei's and attempt to hold them off by himself long enough for the rest of the team to get into place and make their moves.

Hinata thought back to the conversation she had just had with Naruto a few minutes earlier. He had waited until Shino left and then grabbed her arm before she could leave so that he could talk to her for a few moments.

"_Hinata I have to ask you a question and I want you to be honest with me. I did not want to bring it up with Shino or anybody else around because I did not want to make you feel uneasy. I just want you to know that I'm always here for you, you can tell me anything so do not be afraid to answer me ok?" said Naruto._

"_Hai Naruto-kun" said Hinata "Hinata how did you get the bruise on your face? You did a very good job at covering it up but I still noticed it. Who did that to you? Was it because of what happened last night, is that why you got that?" asked Naruto with sadness in his voice._

_Hinata had just stared at him for a moment. She had thought nobody would notice but she should have realized that Naruto would catch it. She bowed her head towards the ground refusing to meet his eyes. She did not want to tell him that her father had beat her because she had been caught with him. She did not want him to feel like it was his fault. It was her fault, she had been weak and he had punished her for it._

_As if he had sensed her thoughts Naruto reached out and tilted her chin up with gentle fingers. He looked deeply into those pale lavender eyes and sighed. "I could get lost in those eyes Hina-chan. Please tell me the truth my Hina-chan. I'm pretty sure I already know the answer but I want to hear it from you. It's not your fault Hina-chan. It's not. You're not weak and I don't want you to think that you are. You are one of the strongest people I know and that is one of the reasons I love you so much." He leaned forward and kissed her on the check where her bruise was and then pulled her close to him._

_Hinata jumped in surprise at those 5 words. He had said he loved her. that he really loved her. and then something unexpected happen, something she had been dreaming of for years. He kissed her. Well not on the lips but he still kissed her. She was in heaven. His lips were so soft and they felt wonderful on her bruise. All the pain seemed to simply melt away from that spot. She felt him wrap her in his arms and she had cried silently for a few moments while telling him about what her father had said and done._

_When she got the part about him forbidding her from being a ninja and then hitting her when she tried to question him on it she could feel him stiffen, she could feel the warmth go out of him and a pure rage replace it for just a moment before he relaxed again as if he had been trying to hide his feelings and had caught them an instant to late._

"_Hina-chan I want you to remember this above everything else ok. I will always believe in you and I promise that I will do everything I can to protect you from assholes like your father. Please forgive me for causing you so much pain, its my fault that you went through all of that but I want you to remember that no matter what anybody tells you, you are strong, you will always be strong, and I believe in you."_

He had hugged her again after that and kissed her once more on the check before whipping away her tears and sending her on her way. That had been only a minute or two ago. She felt stronger now then she had in her entire life. Those simple words had given her a power, a strength that she had never had before and that she would never loose again. as long as she had Naruto-kun by her side, on her side, she would never be weak again and nobody would ever make her feel that way again. a single tear of happiness ran down her face as she approached Sakura. She brushed it away and then landed softly in front of the girl.

Sakura startled at the sight of Hinata landing in front of her only a few feet away. she thought she had been masking her chakra fairly well and had not really been keeping an eye on anybody except for Sasuke-kun and their sensei's. She wondered what Hinata was here for. She thought for sure she would have stayed with Naruto and followed him around. She didn't have any problems with the young blue haired girl. Really who could have a problem with her, she was so easy to like and so shy that it was hard to think of anybody who would dislike her.

"Hello Hinata…" Sakura said in a questioning tone hoping that she would simply explain herself but thinking it was more likely she would have to drag it out of her since she was not exactly the most talkative person in Konoha. That of course was why she was so surprised when she spoke up without any pushing involved. "Hello Sakura. I came to ask you for your help in our test. Naruto and Shino and I have come up with a plan to pass this test and I was asked to come talk to you while Shino went to talk to Kiba and Naruto distracted our senseis" said Hinata in a soft but confident voice.

Sakura was not sure what surprised her more, The fact that Hinata was acting so strong and confident, the fact that Naruto had come up with an actual PLAN, or the fact that he thought he could keep two jonin's distracted for any period of time at all. Instead of dwelling on that question she decided to bring up a more important one in her mind. "Hinata how can we work together when in the end 2 of us will fail. That in itself is like a cancer to teamwork." Said Sakura in a defeated voice. She knew that working as a team would increase their chances of any of them getting a bell but the fact still remained, at least in her mind that in the end their were 6 of them and 4 bells which meant even if they worked as a team 2 would fail.

Hinata smiled. Naruto had been right. She was going to need to have it explained to her first and they she would probably hit herself for missing such an obvious point. "Sakura the test is not about the bells. It's about teamwork. The bells are simply put into play to make us think that we can not work as a team." Said Hinata. Sakura stared at her for a few minutes and then slapped her forward with her hand. How in the hell had she missed something so obvious. Of course it was about teamwork. How the hell was a genin expected to beat a jonin by themselves. Simple you DON'T. She felt like such an idiot.

"Leave it to you to come up with the right answer Hinata. I feel so dumb. I swear sometimes I wonder if my hair was actually supposed to be blond." Said Hinata while laughing slightly. Hinata smiled at the pink haired girl and then said "actually Sakura it was Naruto that pointed out the true purpose of the test although Shino and I were somewhat aware that the only way to succeed was to work as a team. We had expected to be working with Naruto and possibly Kiba but it was Naruto who pointed out that in the end we were either all going to pass as a group or fail as a group, their would be no in between."

Sakura stared at Hinata again. Then she laughed. "He sure has changed a lot in the last 48 hours. He just keeps proving all my preconceptions about him wrong. Next thing you know he is going to end up being some super powerful ninja." Said Sakura while still laughing slightly. "Hinata is correct you know Sakura. The only way to pass this damned test is to work together. I hate to admit it but the dobe has outdone me again. but if either of you tell him that I said that I will kick your asses." Said Sasuke as he jumped off the branch of the tree that he had been perched on, listening to their conversation.

But girls stared at him in surprise. When had he gotten there thought Hinata. She had been watching the surrounding area and had not felt him approach. Now that she was really thinking about it though she could feel a little something coming from him. He did not have Naruto's level of control yet but he was close. She was more surprised by the fact that he agreed with them all and was willing to cooperate. This would make things much easier for them.

"Hello Sasuke-kun. I am glad to see that you are willing to help. It will make things much easier. Since you are both here and you seem to agree with the idea of working as a team perhaps we can go over Naruto's plan as I do not think we have much time left until Naruto engages Kak-" She was cut off by the sound of an explosion in the direction of the clearing and then the sound of kunai meeting kunai.

"Oh no, were late. We have to hurry Naruto's already started with them." Said Hinata in a worried voice. Sasuke smirked slightly at Hinata's concern. He found it funny for 2 reasons. The first was that it seemed she was truly concerned for his safety and it was killing her not being able to help him right that moment. The second was that she actually believe he needed her help. "Don't worry about the dobe. I fought him so I know what he is capable of. Or at least I know some of what he is capable of. At the very least he can hold is own for a few minutes. I can guarantee you he was holding back on me when we fought." Said Sasuke in a 'matter of fact' tone of voice.

"So hurry up and tell us this plan so we can get out their Hinata. We do not have all day. We have already blown an hour practically." Said Hinata, slightly frustrated and the girls lack of concentration. She could not really blame her, she would be the same way if it was Sasuke out there and not Hinata. Hinata seemed to realize what she was doing and quickly snapped out of it.

"The plan is fairly simple. Naruto will engage our sensei's like he is doing now and keep them distracted while the rest of us move into position. Before they can overwhelm him Kiba, Shino, And Sakura will move against Kurenai-sensei and keep her preoccupied so that she can not help defend Kakashi-sensei. While that is going on I will move against Kakashi-sensei and try to distract him enough for Naruto to slip past his defenses and secure the bells." Said Hinata

She took a breath and then continued. "Now that Sasuke-kun is on our side as well he should help us with Kakashi-sensei in and effort to distract Kakashi. The easiest way to get the bells is to just take the whole belt that holds them instead of trying to get one at a time. Once we have them we will all fall back and claim our victory as a team" Hinata smiled at the brilliance of the plan while both Sasuke and Sakura seemed to stand in awe. Well Sakura stood in open awe while Sasuke hid is sentiments but Hinata could still see that he was impressed that Naruto had thought things through so thoroughly.

"Alright well that sounds like a plan to me. Let's go. I assume that the others are watching for us so that when we move into position on this side of the woods that they will engage with us at the same time." said Sasuke, more as a statement then a question. Even still Hinata confirmed the statement to be sure both her partners knew the facts. Sasuke looked at the two girls for a moment and then took of running towards the meeting point with Sakura and Hinata following close behind.

* * *

Naruto jumped back for a moment to catch his breath as he assessed the situation. He hoped that the others got their soon. It was quite tiring keeping two jonin busy without using anything more then chuunin level techniques. At least he could claim that he had been training privately and as such was able to improve to a chuunin level. That would be believable but anything above that would raise a lot of questions, questions which he could not afford to have asked of him at this point.

He stretched his senses out and sighed in relief. Kiba and Shino were already in position and waiting for the others to get into place. He gasped in surprise as he looked at the other team. He was completely blown away to sense Sasuke with them. He had thought he would do his own thing. This would make things easier. Things were certainly looking up. They would be in place within the next 60 seconds or so. He had to keep Kakashi and Kurenai of guard so that they would not pay attention to the others.

"Geez is that all you two got. I thought you were supposed to be Jonin. This is a piece of cake. Maybe I should just take the bells now and relax. I was hoping for a little more of a challenge from the famous copy-ninja and the genjutsu specialist Kurenai. But I guess I overestimated you both." Naruto laughed in a mocking tone. He got the reaction he was looking for. They both seemed to be a little annoyed at being mocked by a genin although they would not do anything stupid like attack his recklessly it would likely keep them focused on him and off his friends in the trees.

Naruto started to perform some seals and said "it's time to get serious I think. Let's go." Kage Bunshin no jutsu yelled Naruto as he charged at his senseis. As soon as he finished the words instantly 20 Naruto's showed up on each side of him. He smiled at their surprised look. That had obviously caught them of guard but this was something he was able to do since before the training course. Iruka could vouch for that. It may not work effectively against them in such small numbers but the surprise would keep them of guard and any second now his teammates would be in place and things would start to heat up.

Naruto dodged a kunai from Kakashi by jumping into the air and angling towards Kakashi to deliver a kick to his head. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kurenai coming at him to knock him out of the air with what looked like a very painful punch. Kurenai gasped in surprise as Naruto used a clone to maneuver himself in mid air and land a spin kick on her shoulder which caused her to fly towards the ground. She landed gracefully on both feet and was instantly meet by a barrage of punches and kicks from nearly a dozen Naruto clones.

Kurenai and Kakashi were quickly dealing with his clones although they were getting a few hits in. Naruto called the rest of his clones to his side and they all removed a kunai and an explosive tag. The 10 or so Naruto's quickly wrapped the tags around the hands of the kunai and smiled wickedly at the jonin's.

All the Naruto's jumped into the air and threw their kunai's in the general direction of the two jonin's as Naruto noticed his teammates get into place. The explosions would give them all the distraction they needed. He could not wait to see the look on Kakashi's face when the smoke cleared.

When the smoke did clear Kiba, Shino and Sakura were all over Kurenai, who for her part looked extremely surprised to see them, let alone seeing them working together. But the look on Kakashi's face was priceless. If he had not had a battle to fight he would have been rolling on the ground laughing his ass off. One thing was for sure, the Kyuubi was getting a kick out of it. He could feel the fox's rumbling laughter echoing throughout his mind. It was a little distracting but funny all the same. He wondered what Kakashi would think if he knew he was being laughed at by a demon.

Kakashi looked like he was about to have a heart attack as he ducked and dodged out of the way of both Sasuke and Hinata. Neither of them were giving him an inch to play with. They were constantly on him, one would go in while the other pulled out and then they would switch. Things were going perfectly. It was obvious that the last thing Kakashi expected to see was the 6 of them working together in a planned attack and certainly not one that was so well thought out when they had barely had an hour to work through everything.

The fact that his students had all split in different directions without so much as a look at each other had added to his sense of security. Sure he had expected to see Naruto, Shino and Hinata together but when Naruto had showed up all alone he had figured that the blond had gotten impatient and decided to go in alone like he figured he would to begin with. He looked over briefly at Kurenai to see that she was not fairing much better then he. Neither of them had expected this. And what's more it looked like Naruto had been the ring leader of the whole thing. He would seriously have to change his opinion of the young boy when this was all over. But what surprised him the most was that Sasuke was working with them. He had certainly not expected that at all.

Naruto jumped back into the battle and ran straight for Kakashi who had his back turned to him while he battled Hinata. Kakashi noticed Naruto running towards him from behind and decided he would teach the kid a lesson about running in blind. Kakashi quickly performs a few seals and then performs his Thousands years of Death Jutsu. Kakashi lunges at Naruto from behind now and is surprised when Naruto bursts in a puff of smoke. "Crap" yelled Kakashi as he realized to late what had happened. Less then a second later Naruto Burst from the ground delivering a devastating uppercut to Kakashi sending him flying into the air.

Sasuke jumps into the air and performs a spinning kick, landing it square in Kakashi's chest who was still slightly dazed from the punch he received at the hands of Naruto. The force of the click drove Kakashi back towards the ground where Naruto performed his own drop kick driving Kakashi slightly further into the ground and obviously dazing him significantly. Kurenai, seeing the way that Kakashi was being man-handled quickly shoved through her three assailants and grabbed Kakashi, pulling him up and jumping back to a safe distance. "it seems your getting to old for this Kakashi, you just got your ass kicked by 2 genin wannabe's." chided Kurenai in a joking manner.

Kakashi looked at his fellow jonin with annoyance. "I'd like to see you do better. Besides what happened to you being my defense." Kurenai laughed. "Poor baby, you just rest here and let me deal with them for a while." Laughed Kurenai and then she was off. Kakashi laughed, he was going to enjoy watching this.

Kurenai runs towards her students and performs her Demonic Illusion: tree bind death technique to trap them all within her genjutsu. Naruto notices the signs she is forming and immediately yells to his team "Genjutsu" before Kurenai can complete the task. She successfully captures 4 of her students leaving only Hinata who she expected would be able to see through her technique with her Byakugan and Shino whom she was more surprised about. Even still she was more then capable of dealing with 2 genin unlike Kakashi.

Kurenai pulls out a kunai and charges at her two students preparing to subdue them quickly but before she can reach them she was swept off her feet by a Naruto clone and kicked into the air by another and then another. The next thing she saw was Naruto performing the Kage Bushin No Jutsu technique again and then she was bouncing around like a pinball. The final kick caught her in the stomach and sent her slamming into the tree beside Kakashi. She slid down the tree slowly into a sitting position before slowly climbing to her feet with the help of Kakashi who was actually openly laughing at her, and loud enough that the students could hear.

"That was great Kurenai. You really showed them and me. I feel so much better now after that rest too. Thanks really." he continued to laugh. "You should have seen yourself, you were being kicked left, right, and center by Naruto clones, I was starting to get dizzy just watching it. oh I have never laughed so hard in my life. But I think its time that we end this test. I think they have proved that they can work as a team enough by now. but I can not let them show me up like that so what do you say we teach them a lesson before we tell them the good news." Said Kakashi. Kurenai laughed, she had been thinking the same thing.

Kakashi quickly ran through a series of seals which Naruto instantly recognized as a earth jutsu. He barely had enough time to launch himself off the ground and towards the trees before it turned into quicksand and swallowed up his team. He groaned. This was really a pain in the ass. Very well if he wanted to play dirty that it was time he showed them his most power technique that he could safely use at this time. Naruto smiled and called out to his teachers.

"That was a cheap shot don't you think Kakashi-sensei. Well if you are going to play like that then I guess there is no need to hold back any longer." Yelled Naruto in a mocking tone. Both Kakashi and Kurenai instantly got a worried look on their faces. They did not like the sound of that at all. he had been enough of a pain as it was, if he was only screwing around up until now then this was going to be nothing but bad news for them.

Naruto ran through the seals quickly and then screamed "Taju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu". Naruto's teammates gasped at the scene that appeared around them. There were hundreds, no thousands of Naruto's covering every inch of ground and tree space in the entire clearing. For the second time in Sasuke's life he was truly awed by somebody's power. This was an incredible technique.

Hinata stared in admiration at her Naruto-kun. He was so powerful and he was doing everything he could to win this test for them. She felt a surge of pride run through her. She was so proud of him, she wished the test was over right now so she could run up to him and give him a huge hug and tell him how amazing he was.

Shino just arched an eyebrow in surprise while Kiba actually yelped. "you have got to be fucking kidding me. How the hell can he do that." Screamed Kiba to which Shino actually chuckled. It was quite funny to see the look on Kiba's face. Sakura who was beside him just seemed to be staring blindly at Naruto as if she was seeing him for the first time. she could not believe that he had this much power.

Kurenai looked over and Kakashi and then back to Naruto and finally back to Kakashi again who was just blinking continuously. "Did you know he could do that, do you think he is tapping into it's chakra. Look at all of the Kakashi. We are going to ge-" she was abruptly cut off as all the Naruto's leaped from their positions and flew at the two jonin. Kakashi and Kurenai didn't even have a chance to react. The last thing they heard was Naruto scream out "Uzumaki Naruto one Thousand Combo technique".

The Naruto's broke into two groups, one thousand targeting Kakashi and one thousand targeting Kurenai. Before either of them could react they each found themselves being shot into the air by one thousand punches only to moment's later find themselves careening back towards the ground as a result of one thousand crushing kicks. The Naruto clones quickly burst into smoke as Naruto simply walked forward and removed the bells from a now nearly completely incapacitated Kakashi.

The rest of his teammates walked up behind him behind him having been dug out of the ground by a group of Naruto clones while the fighting had been going on. They stood a few feet away from him as Naruto helped Kakashi get to his feet. Kurenai had actually handled in fairly well, she was at least able to get up by herself but had decided that there was no point in continuing the test and so she simply leaned against the tree shaking her head at how badly they had been beaten.

Naruto tossed the bells over his shoulder to his teammates "well looks like we win guys. So Kakashi we worked as a team, we kicked your asses, and we all got your bells as a group so what's the verdict. Do we pass or what." Asked Naruto as he laughed at the second part. Kurenai had to cover her mouth in a valiant but futile attempt to stop herself from laughing at the look on Kakashi's face. It was true, they had been truly schooled by a bunch of genin and partly because they had completely underestimated them.

Kakashi pushed off the tree and stood wobbling back and forth as he tried to steady himself. "You all pass, as I'm sure you no doubt already figured out seeing as how your working as a team, this test was never about the bells. It was about teamwork which you certainly displayed. As for you Naruto, I swear I will get you back for this. I should fail you right here for kicking my ass so badly." Said Kakashi which only served to generate a new burst of laugher from everybody including Kurenai at the admission of Kakashi getting his ass kicked.

Kakashi sighed again. He had not meant for it to come out like that. The damn kid really had him flustered. "Alright, alright. That's enough now. Jokes over. OK really stop laughing." Yelled Kakashi. Kurenai, feeling sorry for Kakashi and his injured ego decided it was time to dismiss them. "Ok that's it for today guys. Go rest up. You have all worked hard and I think we ALL could use a break after such a work out. We will meet up in a few days to get started on your training. Congratulations on becoming Genin and welcome to team 7. I can honestly say that we are both very proud of you. You did an excellent job." Said Kurenai.

The genin cheered for their success, that is all of them except for Naruto who simply smiled and then turned around and began walking back towards the village. This was their victory not his. he did not see this as a victory at all. it changed nothing. All he had done was accomplish something he had done before. Albeit it had been much harder this time around but it was still nothing more then fixing a problem he had created in the first place?

Hinata was happy they had all passed and was about the congratulate Naruto on his victory and tell him how amazing his last move was when he just walked by her and continued walking towards town, hands in his pockets. He had just ignored them all including her, what was wrong thought Hinata. She quickly said goodbye to her new teammates and ran after Naruto.

Kurenai saw what happened and went after the two, Hinata was supposed to head directly home after training but she had a feeling the two had something's that they needed to talk about. She decided she would give them a chance to do just that. She caught up with them quickly enough and stopped them. "Hinata I understand your supposed to head home now to meet up with your father." Said Kurenai

Hinata paled. It was true, she was supposed to leave, she was not supposed to be around Naruto unless they were training or doing missions and now that the test was over she was supposed to go home. She felt like crying again, a fact that Naruto did not miss. "Hinata its ok we'll have plenty of time to talk, just remember what I told you about your strength." Said Naruto. Kurenai smiled at the words of encouragement.

"Well actually your supposed to go home after your training is done Hinata. And I have one more thing I want you to train with. I want Naruto to help you get over your shyness. He is the most qualified seeing as how he is the most energetic person in the whole village so for the next 2 hours I want you two to just do whatever you think will help you come out of your shell. I expect you to work hard at this. You are not to leave a second before the end of your training, do I make myself clear." Said Kurenai with a smile on her face.

Hinata lit up like she had just received the greatest gift in the world. "Hai Kurenai-sensei. I will not let you down." Said Hinata while she smiled brightly. Naruto laughed. "You're a slick one Kurenai-sensei. I have to give you that." And with that the two walked off towards town while Kurenai stood their smiling at the pair.

* * *

Naruto walked silently back towards his apartment with Hinata leaning on his shoulder. Naruto smiled at the contact. This was the life he wanted. Things were starting to go the way he wanted them to. Now if he could just keep things from going horribly wrong he might actually get to live the life he wanted. They were just returning from an early dinner at Ichiraku's ramen bar. Naruto had been starving after using so much energy in the test. Hinata had expected that and was happy to join him. She was surprised when he shared his ramen with her for the second time in 2 days.

They walked up the stairs to his apartment complex and into his apartment. Naruto closed the door behind her, turned on the light and offered her a seat on the couch which she took gladly. Naruto turned towards the door and began running through a series of seals. Hinata looked worriedly at Naruto. "Naruto-kun… what are you doing?" asked Hinata. Naruto pushed his hand against the door and the room glowed with a faint red blue light before fading away to leave nothing behind. Naruto turned back to Hinata and said "I just sealed the room Hinata so that nobody can see or hear what we are talking about and so that nobody can enter my apartment." Hinata stared at Naruto with a concerned look on her face.

"Naruto what's wrong, your scaring me. She backed slightly away from him before stopping and moving back. She did not want to hurt his feelings. She loved him and he loved her. He would never do anything to hurt her Hinata thought. "I'm sorry Hina-chan. I never meant to scare you. I just need to talk to you. I need somebody to talk to, to get this information out into the open. It's eating me alive Hinata. I have never felt so helpless in my life. I need allies, I need friends but I don't know how to get them. I just don't know Hinata." Hinata moved forward and pulled him into her arms. He looked totally defeated again. This was becoming a common occurrence. Whatever it was that he needed to talk to her about must be something terrible if it was weighing so heavily on his usual energetic personality.

"Hinata I have some things I need to tell you about. I had wanted to tell you last night but we were cut off before I could get to it. I know that this is a cruel thing to ask but I need you to promise me that you will keep this between us for the time being. Nobody else can know until we figure out how to best approach this situation. Everything is at stake and you're the only one that I feel that I can trust not to ruin things right now. Not even the Hokage can know about this. Not yet anyways. Please, can you promise me this?" pleaded Naruto.

"Hinata I need you, please I need you to help me with this. I so desperately need help with this. It's so out of control its not even funny. I can't stand the pressure of it all. I feel like I'm trapped and there is no way out. All I can do is watch as I fly towards my failure." Said Naruto. Hinata stared at the boy before her. Never in her life had she expected to see this side of Naruto. He looked lost, defeated, he looked SCARED. That's what it was she realized, that's what really worried her. The only boy she ever knew to fear nothing was truly and utterly terrified about something and it must be something big because he didn't think he could tell anybody about it.

"I promise my Naruto-kun, I will take your secret to my grave if need be. You can tell me anything Naruto-kun, just like I can tell you anything. Please let me be your strength like you have been mine." She leaned forward and lightly brushed her lips against his forward to calm him down. Naruto looked deeply into Hinata's eyes and then sighed with relief. "Thank you Hina-chan. I knew I could count on you." said Naruto. He took a deep breath and tried to sort out his thoughts before beginning.

"Hina-chan I… I…" he just could not seem to get it out, how do you tell somebody that your from the future. He just did not know what to do. "It's ok Naruto, you can tell me. I trust you." said Hinata in a reassuring voice. Naruto started into her eyes again and began to speak "Hinata I'm sorry to have to place this burden on your shoulders. I hope that one day you will have the chance to forgive me for it."

Hinata started at the way he said that. It was like whatever he was going to tell her was something that would be a huge burden and more then that, it was like he believe that she might not live to even have the chance to regret it. what could be so dangerous that he would fear for her life. "Go on Naruto-kun, I want to share your burden. Let me help, please."

"Hina-chan, I know you already noticed that I have been acting a lot differently as of the last 2 days. Haven't you wondered why that was, or how I was able to defeat Sasuke so easily, or why I acted so strangely around all of our class mates, or a hundred other things that are completely out of character about me?" asked Naruto.

Hinata thought for a moment before answering, "Well yes I have wondered about it Naruto-kun but I figured that you would tell me when the time was right and no matter how you act you will always be my Naruto-kun." Said Hinata. Naruto smiled at her, she was so sweet and innocent. It hurt to have to push this on her. "Hinata there is a reason that I am acting differently, there's a reason that I have started to return your love, and there is a reason that I am not the hyperactive dobe that everybody is used to anymore." Naruto sighed and then he said it.

"Hinata that reason is this, I had 10 years to change since the first time I lived through all of this." Hinata stared at him in confusion. What did he mean he had 10 years since he lived through this the first time. that did not make any sense. "Naruto-kun… I'm not sure I understand what you mean." Said Hinata.

Naruto cursed inwardly. He was going to have to spell it out. "Hinata… I am not really 12 years old. I'm 22. I have lived this all once before and it turned out very badly for Konoha and all the people that I hold dear. I had to watch as everything that I cared for was stolen away from me piece by piece and the people I loved died all around me… Including you my love." Said Naruto before he broke down crying into her lap.

"I'm so sorry Hina-chan. I failed you, It was all my fault that you died. I, I, I tried to be the hero, I went after Kabuto by myself and he poisoned me before I could kill him. and then while I was lying on my death bed from that same poison you saved me at the cost of your own life. It was all my fault and I am so sorry. How can you ever forgive me and love me after what I did. How can anyone forgive me failing Konoha? They killed everyone hina-chan. I was the last leaf ninja alive. I couldn't do anything to protect them."

Naruto's body shook with sobs. He was unable to continue. He was overwhelmed by sorrow and all he could do was cry. He had 10 years of tears to let out, 10 years of sorrows and regrets and pain. All of it bottled up within him and now the dam was breaking and it was all spilling out. He clung to her as if his very life depended on it. he was so very afraid that she would turn him away now that she knew, that she would leave him and never look back.

Hinata was so very confused. She didn't understand what he was talking about but it sounded horrible. She knew that whatever had happened, however it had happened it must have been horrible on him. The boy who she knew was strong, unbreakable. He had spent 12 years of his life beat on and yelled at by everybody in the village and he had never faltered. She could feel the overwhelming pain coming from him as she held him close, not sure what to do except hold him.

She rocked back and forth with him in her arms like she had the day before. She whispered sweet nothings in his ear and rubbed his back. She did everything she could think off, everything that her mother used to do for her when she was sad. And soon Naruto began to quite until finally he lay silent except for the odd mumble of "I'm sorry" which he said over and over again.

Hinata laid Naruto down on the couch and put his head in her lap. She gently ran her fingers through his hair while she hummed a quite tune that her mother used to sing to her. when she was done with the song she spoke softly while still running her hands through his wonderful blond hair. "Naruto-kun… I do not fully understand what you are telling me but no matter what you need to believe that i would never blame you for my death, if you were in trouble and I could save you, I would. Because I love you and I know now that you would do the same for me. That's what true love is Naruto." Said Hinata.

Naruto smiled softly as a tear ran down his cheek. Hinata gently brushed it away and said sweetly. "no more tears my love. I'm hear now and I know you will keep me safe. Now tell me the rest of your story." Naruto nodded and continued. "I guess I should start from the beginning." Said Naruto

"in 9 months we will have a chuunin exam Hinata. I'm sure you are aware of that." Hinata nodded and he continued. "People will come from all around to see this exam including some of Konoha's most power enemies, only they will be disguised as friends. Orochimaru will be disguised as the Kage of the sand who he will have killed. His personal guard will be 4 of his most elite ninja whom he has given what he calls the Cursed Seal too. This seal increases their power 100 fold and makes them incredibly hard to kill." Hinata's breath stuck in her through at the mention of the once famous Sannin turned missing-nin.

"Orochimaru plans to invade Konoha and has made an alliance between Sound and Sand. He was able to do so because he had infiltrated Sand by killing the Kage as I said and taking his place. When the chuunin exam comes they will bring and army and attack near the end of the exam. Konoha will rally in the end and beat them back and sand will realize what has happened to their true Kage and return to our side but by then the damage will have already been done." Said Naruto as he sighed

"The Hokage will be dead and will be replaced by Tsunade who will become the Fifth Hokage. Sasuke will have defected to Orochimaru in exchange for a cursed seal and personal training so that he can become stronger to be able to avenge his family by killing his brother Itachi. In the years to follow the sound with the help of their allies will assault us over and over again, weakening us continuously until finally with the help of the Atasuki they will be successful in laying siege to Konoha and that will be the beginning of the end."

"For the next 7 years we will fight a loosing battle to try and force them from our territory. They will slowly but surely take over Konoha and kill off our ninja until finally only a handful of us will be left. It was during this time Hinata. Roughly a year before the end of the war that I failed you, that I got you killed. Kabuto who is one of Orochimaru's most powerful aids was leading a attack against us. I went along with a squad of Anbu to stop them and to kill Kabuto. In the end I succeeded in doing just that but during our fight he stuck me with a poisoned kunai and the Kyuubi could not heal me." Naruto was nearly in tears again at the memory of the loss of his home and friends until he looked back up at Hinata and felt her hand brush up against his face, encouraging him to continue.

"When I woke up I found out that you had sucked the poison out of me with a jutsu and in the process the strain on your chakra system in combination with the poison had killed you. I went crazy with anger and practically destroying out headquarters. Nobody was hurt but I was a mess. I was never the same after that. I started taking more and more missions; I just wanted to kill as many of them as I could before we all died. We all new it was over. There was no chance at winning."

"Then one day I came back from a mission and while I was talking to the Hokage we were attacked. Gaara who will be the new Hokage of the sand saved me with his sand shield but everybody else died. And then it was just me and Gaara left with an army of sound ninja marching on us. Gaara went out and held them off while the Kyuubi and I used a forbidden time travel jutsu that neither of us really understood how to use or how it worked." Naruto stopped and closed his eyes. He was exhausted.

"and that's how I ended up back here. the jutsu essentially melds your future self with your past self, you keep all your old memories, skills, chakra and the whole nine yards but you are in the body of your past self. The issue with my chakra yesterday was because my body could not contain the chakra I now had. I had all the chakra I had in the future plus everything I had now and as my body melded with my future self the chakra started to overwhelm me and that was why I had to seal away about half of my chakra in the seal you saw me use."

"Hinata I came back because I need to stop all of that from happening. I want to have the chance to live a normal life, I want to spend my life with you, grow old together and have a family, I want to see my friends live and have their own families, I want to save Sasuke from himself and I want to become Hokage. But I just do not know what to do. I'm totally lost." Said Naruto with that defeated look on his face again.

Naruto felt something cold and wet hit his face. And then another, and another. He opened his eyes and stared up at Hinata to see her crying. "Oh Naruto-kun, my poor Naruto-kun. You poor thing, it must have been horrible living through all of that, 10 years of horror and feeling all alone. And then coming back to a village that hates you and a class that thinks your nothing. And seeing all your old friends, none of whom even know or respect you. Oh Naruto." She cried as she pulled him up to her chest and squeezed him tight.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that Naruto. I can't even imagine how hard it must have been and how much you must have on your mind right now. It must feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders and you couldn't turn to anyone for help. You had so many friends around you and none of them were really your friends anymore and so you were all alone surrounded by people who were long dead for you. It must have been horrible. No wonder you were so sad the first time you saw them all on the street." She continued to hold him tight, refusing to let him go as if he would just disappear into thin air and she would never see him again.

"Hina-chan what are we going to do. The two of us can't possible hope to stop this all by ourselves. We need help. But the Hokage or any of the high level ninja would likely try to fight them right away and that could just make things worse. But if we do nothing it will just go the same as it did last time. I just do not know what to do and now I have put this all on your shoulders too. What kind of a cruel bastard am I?"

Hinata pulled Naruto away from her and looked into his eyes. "Naruto-kun. I swear that everything will be ok. We will figure this out. We have 9 months. we will work this out. Just lay back down and go to sleep. I promise I won't leave you. I will stay by your side all night. I promise." Naruto looked at Hinata and smiled. He lied back down in her lap and closed his eyes. Hinata started to run her fingers through his hair again while humming softly once more and before long Naruto was asleep.

Hinata slowly lifted his head from her lap and laid it back down on the couch before curling up beside him and resting her head on his chest. She rapped her arms around him and closed her eyes. She felt him wrap his arms around her and pull her close. She looked up to see that he was still asleep and that he had just done it instinctively. Hinata smiled at the gesture and closed her eyes once again. she breathed him in deep and then relaxed. Even with everything that she knew was coming, here, in his arms, she felt totally and undeniably safe. She quickly fell asleep hoping that the following day would be just as good as this one.


	6. Truths Revealed, Training begins

**Author Notes:**

Well I hope everybody enjoyed the last chapter. It was great fun to write it that was for sure. I enjoyed it thoroughly. The end of the chapter was particularly interesting to write. I actually got all teary eyed at one point. Well anyways this chapter will pull on the heart strings a little less.

I hope that you all enjoy it. In this chapter team 7 is now officially formed and begins their training missions. By the end of the chapter they will be preparing to leave on their first big mission, one which Naruto is quite familiar with and not at all looking forward to.

This chapter actually took a long time to write. I got a little big of a writers block their for a bit and was stuck about halfway through the chapter. I must have rewrote it about 4 times before I finally strapped some C4 to that damn writers block and blew its ass away. As it turns out that works quite well cause I liked the way the chapter turned out.

I am busy as hell for the rest of the week meeting deadlines for clients so I am not sure if I will be able to get another chapter up before the weekend but I will try. I am hoping to actually get 2 chapters up this weekend so keep watching. And REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW.

Hope you all enjoy and oh yeah keep REVIEWING.

* * *

**Second Chances**

Chapter Six: Truths Revealed, Training begins

By Cybergades

* * *

Naruto found himself falling through the darkness again. He was not quite so disoriented this time as he had been the first two times. He immediately recognized the signs of his odd dreams. He had, had them every night since he used the jutsu. He was sure that the jutsu had something to with them but he was not sure what. What really confused him though was that he was dreaming about the Fourth Hokage. He was not sure what to make of them. The first had been what he thought was the actual events of the night the Kyuubi had been sealed inside him but he could not be sure.

The second dream had been completely foreign to him. he had not recognized anything that he saw except for the Demon seal and the Fourth Hokage. It just didn't make any sense to him. he hoped that this dream would shed some light on things but he had the feeling that if it was anything like the previous two he would wake up with more questions rather then answers.

The darkness started to dissolve around him and he found himself in what he was almost certain was the Hokage Office inside the Hokage Tower. He could see the Hokage monument through the large glass window and the office looked almost the same as it did today. Behind the desk stood the Fourth, staring out the window as if it was to be his final chance to do so.

Naruto stepped to the side of the Hokage and looked through the window and there in the distance was what could only be described as the most terrifying thing he had ever seen. He had no doubt that it was the Kyuubi. it was only a spec on the horizon right now but it was plain to see by the way the ninja were mobilizing that this was the night that the Kyuubi attacked Konoha and that the Fourth gave his life to save the village.

Once again Naruto found himself confused. Why was he seeing these visions or dreams or whatever the hell they were? And how was he seeing them? If they were real how did he have these memories and if they weren't then where was all this coming from? It just didn't make any sense no matter how he looked at it. He felt like he was loosing his mind.

Naruto was snapped out of his thoughts when the Fourth walked away from the Window and towards his desk. He pulled out the chair, sat down and removed a scroll of parchment along with a quill and began to write. Naruto was not sure weather he should read the letter and even if he did he was once again confronted with the question of how the hell would he know what this letter said if he was not there. This was all giving him a headache. It was not like he didn't have enough issues to deal with without these bloody weird ass dreams.

Naruto's curiosity got the best of him and he decided that he would take a look to humor himself. He walked over the desk and looked over the fourths shoulder to read the letter. What he saw made his blood run cold.

_To my dear son_

_I hope that this letter finds you well on your sixteenth birthday. It is with a heavy heart that a write this letter knowing that I will never get to see you grow up. It hurts me so to know that I am the one that must cause you so much pain in your life and that I will not be their to help you carry the burden. Without a doubt Sarutobi will be the new Hokage when I am gone since he is still young enough to resume his previous role. I know that he will take care of you no matter what happens._

_My son there are so many things that I want to tell you but I have so little time and so I must rely on Sarutobi to teach you the most important of these things when the time comes. For now I wish only to give you my love and to tell you of your heritage so that you know where you have come from._

_It is my wish that you live the life of a hero as you are the true hero of the day my son. When the time comes, I will seal the Kyuubi within you at the cost of my life and the life of our clan but it shall be you that must bare him and keep him sealed away, it will be you that must tame his soul and use his power, and even though it pains me to believe it, it will be you that must suffer the hate and prejudice of the village as you grow up. _

_I am not a fool as the council thinks I am. I know that they will not follow my final order to give you the life you deserve and by the time Sarutobi takes his seat as Hokage it will be too late for him to save you from this fate. I ask for your forgiveness my son for the life that I have condemned you to but I also ask for you to forgive those who will have wronged you. They do it out of fear of what they do not understand. _

_I know that one day you will be a great Ninja and that you will make the people of this village see your true power, your true worth. I prey that when that day comes that you will find it within your heart to forgive them for their trespasses against you and move on with your life. _

_My son I am sorry that your mother and I could not be there for you during your life. But I want you to know that every time you look upon your clans home you are looking upon us. We shall always be with you in spirit and when the time comes for you to cross over into the next life we shall meet again. Until that time my son, live a great life, live a long life, and may you be the rebirth of our great clan._

_Signed Dad_

Naruto stared at the letter, quickly reading it over again to be sure he had not misunderstood it, who was he fooling; there was no way to misunderstand it. He referred to the Kyuubi, and it being sealed inside HIS SON. What the hell was this? What was going on? It didn't make any sense before and now it sure as hell didn't make any sense. Naruto watched as the Fourth Hokage rolled up the parchment and placed a red seal of ink on the front to seal it closed before casting a sealing jutsu over the letter.

It was then that he saw clearly for the first time the symbol on the Fourths robe. It was the same as the Ink seal. It was the Red Swirl that Naruto had always worn on his clothes. He had never known why he wore it. he always just had. But it made sense now. It was the seal of the Uzumaki household.

Naruto shook his head to clear his thoughts. This still didn't make any sense at all. he had never even heard of a clan called the Uzumaki's and he sure as hell had never seen that symbol anywhere except for his clothes. It just didn't make any sense. Not to mention that how could he possibly read that letter. It had to be just his imagination right? I mean its not like he was there or anything and the only person present during that event as far as he could see was the Fourth himself.

Naruto froze for a moment. That was the only thing that was the same throughout all three dreams so far. The Fourth was in every one of them. He had no idea what this all meant but he was determined to ask Kyuubi about it when he woke up. That fox was going to start talking or else. Naruto shook his head again. his ears were ringing for some reason, why was that.

The darkness slowly began to cloud his vision again as he stood there and watched the Hokage leave the tower and run towards the edge of the village, no doubt to his death. Naruto found himself completely immersed in the darkness again. He was falling again and his ears were ringing like never before. Why was this ringing so familiar? Why did it seem so urgent?

Naruto Shot up from his sleeping position to find Hinata asleep beside him with her arms wrapped around him. They had slept together on the couch he realized. Nothing had happened of course but that didn't matter. What did matter was the ringing in his ears. He knew now what it was. It was his seal warning him that there was somebody approaching his door outside of the seal and that they were trying to get inside. Naruto jumped from the couch and grabbing his Kunai pouch. His seal was concealed. Only a seal expert would notice it was there. Anybody else would just think the door was locked.

He went to the door and looked outside through the peep hole. The seal only blocked sight from the outside in, not the other way around. He saw that it was Kurenai-sensei and she seemed to be quite upset. Naruto cursed. Hinata had spent the night here which meant that her father was almost certainly looking for his head. This was bad, very bad. There was nothing he could think of that would explain her being here.

Naruto turned to Hinata to explain but she seemed to already understand by the look in his eyes and the expression on his face. "It's ok Naruto-kun I will deal with this." Said Hinata. Naruto looked at her with a question expression before giving up and removing the seal. Naruto opened the door quickly and welcomed Kurenai who entered inside followed closely by Kakashi.

Before Naruto could even get a word out Kurenai started in on him. "Who the hell do you think you are you little punk. I gave you guys 2 hours. 2 HOURS. Not the whole damn night. Do you have any idea how pissed off Hiashi is right now. it was all I could do to explain to him that I gave a training mission to you and Hinata and that Kakashi had gone with you to supervise. You had better thank your lucky stars that the Hokage backed up our story or your head would be on a chipping block right now with Hiashi himself holding the axe." Screamed Kurenai.

In all the years Naruto had known the jonin in the future he had never seen her so upset. It must have been just as bad as she was saying if not worse if she was acting like this. He was about to try and explain himself but was surprised when Hinata stepped in front of him and slapped Kurenai in the face before beginning to yell at her.

"How dare you yell at Naruto-kun like that without even asking us the reasons behind my being here? I will have you know that there is a perfectly good reason and had you even bothered to ask you would have avoided all of this. As for my father well he can just suck an egg because it was you that asked me to train with Naruto and it was a result of that training that passed out, from, from, from embarrassment because he caught me when I fell over and I was so close to him that, I fainted." Yelled Hinata, her voice dropping to a near mumble at the last part while she blushed furiously.

Naruto just stood staring in amazement with Kakashi standing beside him doing the same. It seemed that Kurenai was equally surprised because despite being hit and being yelled at she didn't seem to be upset at all. in fact she seemed to be in a cross between proud and surprised. Naruto thought this was the funniest thing in the world but he did a very good job at not showing it. he was aware that Hinata was saving both their asses so he kept his mouth shut but he was still impressed to see her lie so blatantly and to be able to put on the shy act so well, well she was very shy but to be able to act it as well, with the blush and all was impressive.

Kurenai seemed to finally snap out of her trance and put her hand to her face where Hinata had slapped her. She took one look at Kakashi who just instantly burst into laughter at the look on her face. This of course made her very upset Naruto could see and within minutes she was dragging Kakashi out of the apartment while apologizing to Naruto and bringing Hinata along with them so that she could take her home.

The last thing that Naruto saw before they left his field of vision was Kakashi being thrown down the stairs by a very pissed off Kurenai. Naruto closed the door and broke out laughing. He was going to have to thank Hinata for her acting the next time he saw her. Naruto stopped laughing at once.

The very thought of Hinata seemed to change his mood to one between happiness and sadness. On one hand he felt overjoyed at knowing that she accepted everything that he had said and that she had spent the night comforting him the way she used to in the future. On the other hand he felt a powerful sense of sorrow and guilt at the thought of what he had forced Hinata into. She was in harms way again because of him and he hated himself for it.

Naruto decided it was about time that he questioned his house guest about the meaning of the weird dreams he had been having. The last one in particular since the information he had found within it was something that had many implications if it was true. The least of which was that if it was true, then he had been lied to his entire life but the one man that he thought he could trust completely.

_Alright you damn fox wake your ass up and start talking._ Said Naruto as he stood in the seal chamber staring at the cage that he had become so used to. The Kyuubi approached the bars of the cage and stared at his host with blood red eyes. **What do you want to talk about Kittling **asked the Kyuubi.

_You know damn well what I want to talk about Kyuubi. what the hell is up with these weird ass dreams that I'm having. I know that they have something to do with the jutsu that we used. So start talking._ Yelled Naruto. **Well aren't we in a bad mood. That last dream stir up some rather unpleasant thoughts did it, like how you have been lied to your whole life?** Asked Kyuubi in a mocking tone.

Naruto growled at the Kyuubi before continuing. _You know damn well how it made me feel now stop avoiding the questions fox. Tell me what the hell is going on. it doesn't make any sense. How could I possibly know any of what I am seeing. I was not even in any of the visions as a baby so its not like I just happened to see everything and am now somehow able to remember it. _said Naruto

**You humans sure do have a limited amount of brain power don't you? I would have thought that you would have figured it out by now brat. They are not dreams at all, they are memories. And they are not your memories there your Fathers.** Said Kyuubi in a matter of fact tone of voice. Naruto gaped at the Kyuubi, he could not believe what he had just said. Even if it was true how could he possibly have his fathers memories.

The Kyuubi seemed to sense Naruto's unspoken question and decided he would have to spell it out for the little ninja. **It appears you are not as smart as I thought kittling. It's quite simple really. the seal that your father used to seal me sealed him as well. mind you he was sealed in a different fashion then I was and he was not sealed within you but even so their was bound to be some small part of him within your seal. More likely then not you had the last day or two of his memories or essence molded into your seal during the transfer process. **Said Kyuubi. he looked at Naruto and realized that he still did not understand.

**In other words kittling when your father used the seal that ripped me from my body and placed me within you the last day or two of his memories would have been imbedded within your seal. These memories would normally never have been accessible by you as they would have been woven into the very fabric of your seal. However it's not everyday that somebody moves through time and melds with their past self.** Kyuubi took a deep breath and continued.

**The extreme stress on your seal has obviously caused these memories or at least some of them to shake loose. And now whenever you use a large amount of chakra, the stress on the seal shakes a little more of his memories free and allows you to experience them. Once you have seen them all they will not bother you again. so you see the visions you have been seeing are quite real.** Finished Kyuubi.

Naruto just sat on the floor and stared at the Kyuubi with eyes wide as pancakes. He could not believe what he was hearing. The old man had betrayed him, how could he possibly have done that. Why would he keep something so important from him? He stopped for a moment and then asked the Kyuubi.

_Wait a second; I lived the next 10 years of my life. I NEVER so much as heard word one of this. How can this possibly be real if I have not heard of my clan, or the Fourth being my father or any of that when I have lived the next 10 years of my life already. _Demanded Naruto.

Kyuubi shook his giant head from side to side, amazed at how stupid the kittling could be. **You really can be dense sometimes. Tell me Naruto who are the only two people that would have known who you were for certain and been able to tell you?** Asked Kyuubi. Naruto just stared at the fox before answering. _Well I suppose it would have been the old man and Ero-Sannin. _

Kyuubi grinned. **That's right and when was the letter in your dream addressed for?** Asked Kyuubi. _My sixteenth birthday, so what?_ Said Naruto. **So kittling both of them were dead by your sixteenth birthday. Now that does not make it right, they could have told you anytime but I imagine that they did not think you were ready until that age so they with your father likely decided to leave it until then. **Said Kyuubi

* * *

Hinata walked beside Kurenai and Kakashi as they left the apartment complex. "Well Kurenai-sensei I'll see you later. I'm going to head home and see my father." Said Hinata before turning towards home. Kurenai reached out and grabbed her by the arm. "Not so fast Hinata. You have to go see the Hokage first and we need to have a little chat on the way there." Said Kurenai. "Let me just say Hinata that as happy as I am that you have begun to get over your shyness, if you ever lie to me like that again or strike me for that matter I will see to it that you remain a genin for the rest of your life. Do I make myself clear?" said Kurenai with a sparkle in her eye.

Hinata nodded meekly and headed towards the Hokage tower with her sensei's. "so Hinata tell me what really caused you to spend the night. It's not like you to disobey your father's orders and I am almost certain that nothing actually happened but I am curious as to what possessed you to stay the night when you knew the consequences that would await you today." Asked Kurenai

Hinata looked at her sensei and then said "We just talked. Naruto needed somebody to talk to and I wanted to be that person so I stayed." Lied Hinata. Kurenai seemed to realize that she was lying but ignored it anyways. "And what did you two talk about?" asked Kurenai while staring at Hinata with intense eyes. Hinata shook her head, "I'm afraid I can't answer that. It's personal and has nothing to do with either of you." said Hinata. Kurenai was shocked at Hinata's boldness. Something had obviously taken place last night to give her so much courage but she was fairly certain she was not going to find out from the young Hyuuga.

They arrived at the Hokage tower a short time later and proceeded upstairs to where the Hokage office was located. When they approached the secretary greeted them. "Hello Kurenai. The Hokage has been expecting you. Right this way please. They followed the secretary into the Hokage's office where they were seated.

"Hello Hokage-sama" said Hinata as she took her seat. The Hokage smiled kindly at the young Hyuuga before taking his seat behind the desk. "Hello Hinata. I understand congratulations are in order. It seems that your team passed Kakashi's survival training course." Said Sarutobi. Hinata smiled brightly. "Yes Hokage-sama. Naruto came up with the plan, you should have seen him. He was amazing." Said Hinata with a voice full of pride.

Sarutobi laughed. "Yes I heard from Kakashi and Kurenai just how well Naruto did. It seems he bruised their egos somewhat. But I'm sure you are aware that this is not the reason you are here." Said Sarutobi with a slightly more serious tone of voice. Hinata nodded. "Hai Hokage-sama." Sarutobi smiled "It seems that you and Naruto were to do some training last night and then you were to return home. However their must have been some miscommunication because as it turns out you did not return home but rather spent the night at Naruto's apartment." Said Sarutobi.

"Hinata, I trust both you and Naruto a great deal and I am sure that nothing inappropriate took place last night however you must understand the seriousness of the situation you are in. Had it not been for your teacher covering for you, your father would have found you at Naruto's apartment and there would have been a great deal of trouble to answer for. As it stands we have sorted things out and there are no issues but I still wish to know the real reason that you stayed the night." Said Sarutobi as he leaned back in his chair.

Hinata sighed. "As I told Kurenai-sensei, Naruto needed somebody to talk to. He was rather troubled about some personal issues and I wanted to be their for him like he has been there for me. I'm sorry Hokage-sama but I do not have the right to inform you of anything further then that. I intended to stay until he fell asleep. However afterwards I was quite tired myself and I didn't want to leave him alone so I decided to stay the night despite the problems I new it would cause." Lied Hinata yet again.

Sarutobi nodded. "I see. Is their anything else you would like to tell me Hinata?" asked Sarutobi in a kind voice. For the briefest time Sarutobi could see both Fear and Sorrow in those pale lavender eyes. The young girl was obviously fighting with herself about weather or not to reveal something to him which Naruto had told her.

Sarutobi suddenly felt guilty for what he had done. He trusted Naruto a great deal and he trusted Hinata just as much. Naruto may be many things but he was never a danger to the well being of his village and his precious people. Of this he was certain. Whatever he had told Hinata it had scared her and it obviously was important enough to make her consider telling him however Naruto obviously felt it was important to keep it from him at least for the time being.

He owed him at least the right to make that decision. If he felt it was not time for him to know about this particular piece of information, what ever it may be. Then Sarutobi would wait until the time came when Naruto felt that it was time for him know. Hinata opened her mouth to tell the Hokage about his demise. She knew that Naruto wanted her to keep it a secret but how could they let him die.

She was however unable to get the words out as she was cut off by the Hokage himself. "Hinata… I must apologize for asking you to spy on Naruto. I realize now how much of a mistake it was. You must understand I trust the boy a great deal. He has gone through so much in his life and I suppose I have just gotten used to him being able to tell me anything. And now suddenly I find myself in a situation where he feels that it is not appropriate for me to know his secret whatever it may be. I owe him the right to make that choice and you owe him your loyalty. You promised to keep his secret and I suggest you do so. He obviously trusts you a great deal and judging from the look you had on your face he may need you more then ever in the weeks, months, and years that follow. I know that when the time comes Naruto will tell me his secret and that if he gets in over his head he will call on his friends and precious people to help him." said Sarutobi.

The old man stood up and walked over to Hinata. "Come now child. You should get home to your father. Kurenai will take you." and with that Sarutobi dismissed the group and gently guided Hinata out the door. When Kakashi was about to leave the Third said "Kakashi a minute of your time if you will."

Kakashi turned around and walked back into the office closing the door behind him. "Yes Hokage-sama…" asked Kakashi in a confused voice. Sarutobi sat down behind his desk and stared at the masked Jonin. "Kakashi I want you to keep an eye on Naruto. I am concerned that something is going on that he is trying to shield the rest of us from. Just watch him, leave him his privacy but make sure he does not get himself injured or killed." Said Sarutobi before dismissing Kakashi.

Kakashi Nodded and left in a poof of smoke. Sarutobi went to the window and stared out over the village like he had so many times before. His eyes fell on an abandoned section of the village which had all but been forgotten since the war against the Kyuubi. He wondered if there would ever be children running in the streets of that abandoned area of the city again or if it was doomed to be deserted for the rest of its days.

"Naruto… what could you possibly be hiding from me that would scare that poor girl so much. What is it that you know that worries you so deeply. Where is the loud mouthed little boy that I had grown so fond of. You don't have to face the world alone. You could always ask for help." Said Sarutobi to nobody but himself. He continued to stare out the window, sighing as the sun reached the middle of the sky. It was going to be hot today he realized.

* * *

Naruto was out walking around town to clear his head. He needed to gather his thoughts and think of a way to solve the ocean of problems he was going to face in the months to come starting with their first big mission. The mission to Wave country. A mission that none of his team were ready for and a mission that he could not warn them about. He was absent mindedly walking through town when found himself flying through the air. He slammed roughly into the wall of one of the buildings and slid down to a sitting position before slowly picking himself back up and wiping the small trail of blood from the corner of his mouth that had appeared as a result of the fist that had been slammed into his face a few seconds earlier.

He stared at his assailant with a small smile coming around his lips. He had been itching to give a little something back to Hiashi for his rude treatment of his daughter but had thought he would never get the chance. It seemed that fate had smiled upon him and taken it upon itself to deliver the pompous ass right to him. He locked his brilliant blue eyes with those bright white eyes of his opponent. "Well hello Hiashi. I'm sorry it appears that in my clumsiness I tripped, fell, and landed on your fist." mocked Naruto knowing that it would get under his skin.

Hiashi stared at Naruto with fire in his eyes if that was even possible. "Always the jokester it appears Naruto. I guess that's all we can expect from a fool and a demon." Said Hiashi in a calm and calculating tone. Naruto growled at the comment. Who the hell was he to call him a demon and a fool? He stared Hiashi right in the eyes and said "well if you insist on being such a bastard I could always just shove that stick farther up your ass for you and see what happens you fuck."

Hiashi stared in disgust. "How dare you talk to the head of the Hyuuga clan like that you stupid boy. You don't even deserve to be alive, a problem which I intend to remedy right now. You took advantage of my daughter and I intend to bring her justice. I know that your teacher is lying about your so called mission together. You used your demon powers to hold her against her will. Once your gone she will finally be able to get on with her life and start acting like the true heir to the Hyuuga clan." Yelled Hiashi in a rare show of emotion.

Naruto burst out laughing at the irony of the situation. Here was the person who in later years had become almost friendly in nature towards him and right now he wanted to kill him. He pushed the memory from his mind and focused on how good it was going to feel to shove his foot up Hiashi's ass.

Hiashi dropped into his Gentle Fist stance and charged at Naruto preparing to end the battle quickly assuming that Naruto was weak and would be unable to even hold him off for a matter of seconds. Naruto smiles and waits for the last possible moment to move to the side as Hiashi tries to rupture Naruto's heart with a single strike. Naruto's quick movements gave him just the opening he needed, seizing on the opportunity he slammed his fist into the side of Hiashi's face sending him flying down the road and into the dirt.

Naruto laughed out load at Hiashi and then said "I just figured I would return the favor Hiashi. I hope you don't mind." Hiashi jumped to his feet ready to get serious but before he could go any further Kakashi appeared between the two just as Naruto called forth a dozen clones. Kakashi surveyed the scene before him and then said calmly. "If you would like to continue this Hiashi I could step aside and then have the pleasure of bringing you to justice for murder. But I'm sure I'm just misunderstanding the situation and you two were just having a friendly sparring session in an effort to help improve the boy's defense. Isn't that right Hiashi." Mocked Kakashi.

Hiashi stared with hate in his eyes at the jonin and then calmly replied. "You are exactly right Kakashi. I was simply trying to help the boy in his training and things got a little too spirited. If you will excuse me I have to return home and welcome my daughter back from her mission." and with that the Hyuuga left.

Kakashi looked towards Naruto who had dispatched his clones and was leaning against a building with a bright smile on his face. "Something funny Naruto?" asked Kakashi. Naruto laughed at the comment. "Your damn right there is something funny. I got to put that old geezer in his place like he deserved. Bastard thought he would just stroll over her and kill me but I showed him whose boss." Said Naruto cheerfully.

Kakashi sighed. It had been rather funny to see Naruto punch Hiashi in the face. The surprised look on Hiashi's face between the time he missed his strike and the time Naruto slammed his fist into the side of his face was pure comedy. Even still he did not share Naruto's belief in himself. Or at least not as much as the young blond did. He was fairly certain that Hiashi would have finished him off eventually once he stopped underestimating him. Oh well it was over now and nothing to really do about it but keep a close eye on the two and make sure it did not happen again.

Naruto said goodbye to Kakashi before heading off to grab something to eat and continue sorting through his thoughts. He found himself continually returning to thoughts of Hinata as he walked and constantly had to shake his head to free his mind of her and continue to think on the more important and pressing matters that faced him at that moment.

* * *

Naruto stared at the floor of his apartment thinking about what he had learned over the past few weeks. He had carefully researched the fourth and the Uzumaki name to try and find any reference to either the Fourth having a son or family for that matter or any mention of a clan by the name of the Uzumaki's. He was more depressed now then he had been before he started searching. All his research had turned up practically nothing.

Their were a few very vague references to the Fourth belonging to a very old and very powerful clan but no reference to the actual name and he could never find any reference to the Fourth's actual name either. He was always just referred to as the Fourth or as the Hokage. There had been several times when he thought he was getting somewhere only to find that the reference material he was looking for had been mysteriously lost in a fire or some other unexplained accident.

At the very least he was fairly certain that his dreams were true and that what had actually happened was that the council had erased all record of the Uzumaki's and the Fourths true identity in an effort to keep the truth from the next generation. And of course the adults just ignored it before they had hated him in the first place preferring to think of the clan as being destroyed in the battle with the Kyuubi and never mentioning it by name because it would clearly link Naruto to it.

He had decided about a week ago that he was going to take it upon himself to start training Hinata in some of the more advanced techniques that he felt she would be good at and he had decided to help her build her chakra control and chakra reserves. He hoped that under his tutelage that she would grow in strength much faster and that by the time the chuunin exam came around that she would be ready for what awaited her.

He had mixed feelings about that of course. If she was too ready she would easily beat Neji and then he would have the unlucky fate of having to fight her in the third round of the exam which he did not like the idea of at all. the last thing he wanted to do was have to beat up the women he loved. On the other hand he did not want Neji to kick her ass like he had the first time around. That had been part of the reason she had died in the end. The damage he had done to her chakra system had been serious and she never truly recovered. Yet another problem for him to think through.

As much as he hated the idea of having to fight her he liked it a lot more then her getting hurt. At least he would know when to back off so as not to hurt her seriously. His training with Hinata had progressed well so far. He had started teaching her the tree climbing exercise which he informed her they would be learning on their first major mission. he told her that it would be funny for the too of them to do It as if it was nothing while the other four worked their butts off trying to figure it out.

She had progressed well through that and managed to complete it in the first 3 days of their training. He had gotten her started on the water walking lesson next which she had just gotten the hang of last night by the end of their training session. They were going to meet in a few hours and continue her training. He intended to teach her a 'chakra absorption technique' which would allow her to absorb chakra from anybody on the battle field to supplement her own. His ultimate purpose was to give her a way to tap into his nearly limitless amount of chakra so that she would be able to sustain herself longer in battle. He was not 100 sure on how this would work but knew the technique well enough that he could teach it to her despite the fact that he never had any use for it. Once that was finished he figured he would start to work on giving her some jutsus to work with.

* * *

Naruto stood, eyes closed waiting at their usual training grounds while practicing his Taijutsu against a horde of clones. He waited for Hinata to arrive for their training session. He was not expecting her for another half hour and so he figured he would get in some training himself to keep his skills honed. Naruto Stretched out his senses watching for the clones to attack.

Naruto spun to the right and backhanded a clone before dropping to the ground and leg sweeping another. He pushed off the ground with his hand and begun spinning in place kicking the clones around him, causing them to burst into clouds of smoke.

Hinata stood watching from the tree line as Naruto proceeded to decimate the clones with what looked like ease. He looked so graceful and powerful at the same time. Every move was perfect and calculated so that he would be in the perfect position for his next. His combos were so complex she found it hard to keep up with him. See marveled at his skill and hoped that one day she could be even half as good as he was.

She found it hard to believe that they had lost the war with that kind of skill on the side of the leaf. She shivered at the idea of being so incredibly outclassed that even with all the power that Naruto had that the Leaf was unable to push back their invaders and win the war. She looked on with an overwhelming sense of pride and hope for their cause promising herself that she would become strong so that she could help him tip the tide of battle in their favor. She had already improved so much in the past week from their training. She had not thought it possible for her to excel so quickly but with his guidance and words of encouragement she felt like she could accomplish anything.

Naruto finished dispatching the last of the clones and stood in his battle stance, his eyes still closed. "Hello Hina-chan… I hope you enjoyed the show. I wasn't expecting you for another 25 minutes or so. I just thought I would do some training of my own." said Naruto as he turned towards Hinata. Naruto opened his eyes to look at Hinata and smiled. He had been waiting to see her all day. Despite all that was on his mind he constantly found himself thinking of her and her future counterpart. She was becoming more and more like her everyday and it only made him long for her more.

Hinata ran up to Naruto and gave him a big hug. "Hello Naruto-kun. That was amazing. You were so graceful and so fast. I could never be as good as you." said Hinata. Naruto laughed and smiled wider at her. "Hina-chan. You can do whatever you put your mind to. All you have to do is believe. If you do that and I swear that you will achieve anything you put your mind to. It may take some time but you'll do it. Trust me." Said Naruto

Hinata smiled again. she loved to listen to his words of encouragement. "So what are you going to teach me today Naruto-sensei" mocked Hinata. Naruto laughed at that. The idea of him being a sensei was hilarious to him. "Well Hina-chan today I'm going to teach you a chakra absorption technique. Once you have mastered this technique, as long as you are close to be you will be able to have an almost endless supply of chakra just like me. In other words I will be able to share my chakra with you along with the Kyuubi's chakra." Said Naruto with a grin on his face.

Hinata gaped at him with surprise. She wasn't even aware that was possible and she was sure that it would be very complex. But he believes she could do it so she would make it work. "How does it work" she asked curiously. Naruto walked forward until he was only a few inches away from her. "Well it requires a medium in order to work. Were going to start your training with physical touch since that's the easier method. Once you have gotten the hang of pulling chakra through touch then we will move onto other mediums such as chakra strings and earth and wind." Said Naruto

Hinata nodded. "Ok what do I do sensei." Asked Hinata jokingly again. Naruto smiled brightly and then began his instruction. "Ok first you need to perform the following seals. Horse, Pig, Rat, Snake…" Naruto continued naming off the seals in a long list approximately 25 seals in length. They practiced the seals for nearly an hour straight until she was able to do them by memory without thinking and then they moved onto the actual technique. Naruto instructed her on how to mold her chakra with each seal and once she had completed the sequence perfectly he had her place her hand in his.

"Ok now I want you to focus on drawing chakra from my chakra system through my skin and into yours through our hands. Use your Byakugan to help you focus. It should make this technique much easier to master and allow for a higher rate of absorption." Said Naruto. Hinata squeezed his hand for reassurance and then activated her blood limit and focused on Naruto's chakra system. She began to try and pull chakra from him at a slow rate finding it hard at first but slowly getting easier. In the following 2 hours of their training Naruto was able to teach her to get a steady flow of chakra through touch.

She still had a long way to go before she mastered the technique through touch but if she continued at this rate she would have it mastered within the week. He was encouraged by her determination and effort. The more she worked with him the more of her future self Naruto was seeing in her. she was becoming the strong ninja that he knew she could be, the ninja he needed her to be for their upcoming battles. He smiled to himself as he watched her.

"Ok Hina-chan that's it for today. Lets pick this up tomorrow. Your doing very well. congratulations. I honestly thought it would have taken you a few days to get this far. At this way you'll be ready to move to another medium within the week. Keep it up." Said Naruto with a huge smile on his face. Hinata blushed at his words of encouragement and cheer. She was happy to have outdone his expectations.

They walked away back towards the village talking excitedly about the jutsus that he had planned for her and about how much fun it was to train together all the time. Naruto said goodnight when the reached the town. He went left towards his apartment while she went right towards the Hyuuga complex. He took one last look at her as she walked away and smiled again before turning and heading home.

* * *

It had been nearly a month since Naruto first started teaching Hinata the chakra absorption technique. She had come a long way since then. She had mastered transfer through touch, chakra strings, and earth and was almost finished with her wind training. She could now use the technique from a distance of nearly 100 feet away and switch between mediums on the fly which would make it a versatile move in battle. The next step would be for her to get used to using other jutsus or techniques while using that one. Once she had mastered that she would be able to use it effectively in all battle situations as a way to maintain a stable chakra level.

Despite his happiness about the success of Hinata's training he was very uneasy right now. It didn't help that he knew that his team would be getting a mission to wave country within the day. A mission that none of his teammates were ready for. Of course the Hokage had no idea that the mission was not what it appeared to be otherwise he would never assign it to them. They would be called to the Hokage's office within the hour and would leave on the mission the following day. He hated the fact that despite all his research he actually had more questions then when he had started.

The more he thought about it the more confused and pissed off he became. How could the old man not tell him something so huge? It was nearly as important as finding out about the Kyuubi. He just could not understand how the Third could justify withholding the truth from him.

Naruto felt betrayed. He had never known his family, his origins. He had always just been an orphan. The Orphan with no history. He had always wondered why the Hokage took such great interest in him. This certainly made sense but still, the old man cared for him or at least he thought the old man cared for him. What possible reason would he have for withholding such information?

Naruto stared out the window towards the Hokage tower. He wanted to storm into the old mans office and demand answers but as much as he wanted to do that he knew he couldn't. not right now anyways. It would have to wait until at least after this mission and more likely until closer to the chuunin exam. It would be extremely difficult to get answers from the old man without revealing his secret about the future. That meant that he had to wait until he was ready to reveal at least some part of the future to the old man. When the mission was over and they returned he would consider questioning the Hokage directly about his family. Naruto startled when there was a knock at his door. He opened the door to find a shy looking Hinata standing there with Shino by her side. "Hello Naruto-kun. The Hokage has requested our team's presence. We are going on our first out of town mission." said Hinata.

Naruto smiled. It was time to get the show on the road. "Ok well then lets get going" and with that the three genin headed towards the Hokage tower. When they arrived at the tower they were meet by the remainder of their team and headed upstairs to see the Hokage. Naruto walked into the Hokage's office and stood with the rest of his team awaiting the mission assignment.

The Hokage sat behind his desk reviewing documents when they entered. He looked up and smiled at the group. "Congratulations on your first out of town mission. This is C-rank mission. You will be escorting a bridge builder back to the Wave country where you will guard him so that he may finish the construction of a bridge which is vital to the economy of Wave country." Said Sarutobi.

Naruto chuckled inwardly at the description for the mission as he thought back on the way it actually turned out. This mission had turned out to be anything but a simple c-rank escort mission. In the end it had been an A-rank mission with several Chuunin and eventually two Anbu level ninjas attacking them in an attempt to kill their client.

Naruto considered the facts that he knew to be true about the mission. They would no doubt meet up with Haku and Zabuza along the way. They would be powerful allies to have in the fight against Orochimaru if it was possible to bring them over to their side. They could use every ninja they could get at this point and these two were not to be overlooked. Naruto knew that Zabuza cared for Haku. The only way to bring them to the leaf would be if he could get Zabuza to see that it was what was best for Haku.

There was something that bothered Naruto though. Zabuza had known that the bridge builder would be guarded; he had sent two assassins to take care of him before he even bothered to come out himself. There were 8 of them now instead of 4. He was sure this would change things. Zabuza was no fool. He wouldn't attack the same way he had before with both Kakashi and Kurenai in the group. And no matter how useless he thought the genin were he would not completely ignore them in a situation where he would already have his hands full with the two jonin. No something would change but the question was what.

It worried him that this mission would put his precious people in harms way and with the way things were shaping up, his knowledge of the future would be less then perfect in this situation. Despite all this he couldn't warn them of what was to come. They would just have to deal with the change in the mission status. It was important that they have the chance to bring Haku and Zabuza over to their side.

There was one person that Naruto was set on warning. He would not let Hinata walk into this without knowing what was to come, and her knowing would at the very least help him keep her safe. If worst came to worst he would unleash the Kyuubi's powers and slaughter there enemies. He hoped it did not come to that.

Naruto was brought out of his thoughts but Kakashi's voice. "We will leave in the morning. Meet at the gate at 9am and be sure to remember all your gear. It's a long ways to Wave country so we will be out of Konoha for a while. Be sure to bring everything you will need." Said Kakashi and with that he dismissed his team.

Team 7 made their way back through the Hokage tower and outside. Everybody seemed to have their own things to do in mind and so the team split up in different directions to enjoy the rest of their day. Hinata was about to return to the Hyuuga complex when Naruto grabbed her by the arm and escorted her out towards the training grounds where they had made it their practice to train with each other as often as they could. Naruto had taken it upon himself to begin to teach Hinata some higher level attack jutsus along with some Medical jutsu to compliment her style.

He want her to be as strong as possible when the time came for her to face off against their enemies. He had found that she had a real knack for Water jutsus and so he had been teaching her as many as he could. Hinata looked towards Naruto with a smile. She enjoyed training with him but she really didn't think now was the best time. "Naruto-kun… I don't have the time to train right now. I need to get home and prepare for our mission tomorrow." Said Hinata sweetly.

Naruto continued to guide her towards the training grounds despite her words. "Actually Hinata were not going to train. Were going to talk." Said Naruto cryptically. He couldn't tell her whatever it was that he needed to say in public she realized. That meant it was either very personal or it had to do with the future. She winced inwardly at the thought; they had not talked about what was to come since that night at his apartment. It seemed like he was trying to avoid it. she was worried about what was so important that he thought she needed to know.

When they reached the Training grounds Naruto guided them towards a large tree and sat down beneath it. He patted the ground next to him and Hinata sat down, curling up against him as she usually did after a hard days training. This was their favorite place to rest after training. Nobody ever bothered them here, Kurenai had seen to it that they were left alone during their training sessions telling everybody else that it was a special training regiment designed to break the two of their habits of being shy and loud.

Hinata looked up into Naruto's eyes and could see that something was worrying him. she sat up against the tree and pulled Naruto down so that he was resting in her lap. She liked the peaceful look he always got on his face when he was like that. She enjoyed just running her fingers through his hair and tracing the outline of his face with a finger until he would brush it away because it tickled.

"What's wrong Naruto-kun" asked Hinata in a concerned voice. Naruto looked up into her eyes and smiled weakly. "Hinata I need you to promise me that no matter what happens in our mission tomorrow that you will stay close to me. I need to know that your safe." Said Naruto. Hinata looked at Naruto with a questioning look and then replied. "Ok Naruto-kun. But what's so important about this mission. its only a C-rank mission and we have Kurenai and Kakashi with us. What could possibly go wrong?" asked Hinata.

Naruto sighed. "It's not a C-rank mission Hinata, or at least it shouldn't be. It's ranked that way because of misinformation. If it was ranked properly it would be an A-rank mission. The bridge builder lied to the village about the nature of the mission because he needed our help and could not afford to pay for the real mission. I know for a fact that we will encounter at least 2 chuunin rank ninja and then 2 Anbu rank ninja." Said Naruto as he closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of Hinata's hands lightly messaging his scalp.

Hinata stiffened with fear at the mention of the missions true rank and the ninja they would have to fight. Naruto noticed her reaction and squeezed her hand for reassurance. "It's going to be alright Hinata. I swear I'll protect you; I will protect all of you. Even if I have to use the Kyuubi's power. The ninja we'll meet are on par with Kurenai and Kakashi. But their nothing compared to me, if it comes down to it I will stop them myself before things go badly." Said Naruto

Hinata looked down at Naruto with a sad expression on her face. She felt badly about having to be protected by him. she loved him greatly but she wanted to be able to help him with his mission, to protect Konoha and all she was able to do was get in his way, give him one more thing he had to watch out for. She felt so weak, so helpless. Naruto sensed her concern and worked fast to reassure her.

"Hina-chan. I know you think you're a burden to me but your not. I need you to believe that. I couldn't possibly handle all of this myself. I need your strength. You may not be as strong as me but remember that I have 10 years of training on you. I have 10 years of War time experience. That's something that none of the genin have. Right now I need your emotional support more then anything. You are my strength. You're the only person I can talk to about any of this right now and I want you to know that I believe in you. When the time comes to fight, you will be ready." Said Naruto. Closing his eyes as Hinata began to rub his temples softly.

Hinata smiled. He believed in her without hesitation. It was so reassuring to know that he didn't doubt her at all. Everybody else that she knew thought that she was weak and that she needed to improve greatly but not Naruto. He thought she was strong already and he was helping her become stronger. By the time the chuunin exams came around she would have a wealth of techniques to use and she would help Naruto stop the invasion before it began. She looked into the blonds ocean blue eyes and felt like she would loose herself in them.

"Naruto-kun… why are we taking this mission at all. surely you could find a way to expose the truth about the missions true ranking. What is so important about it that we need to go along with the bridge builders lie?" asked Hinata. Naruto sighed briefly. She had the truth of it. he could easily get them out of the mission but then the bridge builder would be sent to wave country alone and he would be killed. The bridge would be destroyed and wave country would suffer not to mention that they would not be able to recruit Zabuza and Haku.

"There are two ninja that we need to try to recruit to our cause Hinata. The two Anbu that I told you about, their both missing nin. They work for a man named Gato who is a gangster of types that hounds the people of Wave country and doesn't want to see this bridge completed. The two ninja I'm referring to aren't bad people. They could be very powerful allies to have on our side in the upcoming conflict and I believe that we can bring them over to our side if we work at it. But in order to do that we must be the ones to do the mission." Said Naruto.

Hinata nodded. Naruto smiled at her brightly. "You see Hinata one of the two Is just like me. He was all alone his entire life until Zabuza came and found him. He has come to consider Zabuza as a father figure and considers him, his only precious person. In my time they both died. I realized too late the possibility to save them both and bring them to our side. I know better this time and I believe that if you and me work at it, we can save them from themselves and from Gato." Said Naruto

Hinata smiled brightly at the blond. She was awed at his determination. He was determined to save these two ninja and Konoha as well. She had learned so much from him in the past month or so. When they were sparring it was annoying at times when she would beat him. She knew that he was so much more powerful then she was, or any of the other ninja in the village probably for that matter.

But he would only ever use chuunin level or lower skills on her since that's what he was teaching her and when she would beat him, he would beam at her with one of those wonderful smiles and tell her how amazing she was. It made her feel warm inside to gain his approval and respect. She wanted to badly to make him happy and to be useful to him. Even though she knew that he was far more powerful then she was, he never made her feel that way. He always made her feel like she could do anything if she put her mind to it and that no matter what she did he would always be there to back her up and show her his support.

* * *

The next morning they all meet at the gates and were introduced to their client. Naruto smiled at the site of the old bridge builder that he had become friends with in the future. It would be great to be with him for a while again despite all the trouble he gave them the first time. Kakashi gave them all their instructions and the gang headed out the front gates on their way to Wave country. As they walked down the road leaving Konoha behind them Naruto turned to Hinata and with a smile said in a low voice. "Remember what I thought you and what I said and everything will be fine." Hinata nodded and squeezed his hand to reassure him that she would be fine.

Naruto had forgotten about Kiba's keen hearing and as such was unaware of the young boy listening in on their conversation. He wondered what they meant by everything would be all right. It was only a C-rank mission. He was acting as if they were going into battle. Kiba shrugged it off as another odd Naruto incident and ignored it.


	7. Wave country, the fun begins

**Author Notes:**

Ok so this chapter deals with the first part of the Wave country mission. It has taken me quite a while to write this as I really was not sure how I wanted it to work out. Let me know what you think and give me your ideas on how you think the story should progress.

This weekend I am going to be writing as much as I can to see if I can get another chapter up. Hopefully if things go well I will have chapter 8 up by Sunday night. And if I really get in the grove then we might even be graced with chapter 9.

Hope you all enjoy and oh yeah keep REVIEWING.

* * *

**Second Chances**

Chapter Seven: Wave country, the fun begins

By Cybergades

* * *

Naruto walked with the rest of team 7 lost in his thoughts as they continued along the road towards Wave country. Being that they were escorting somebody who was not of the shinobi world they were forced to continue at a slow pace with regular breaks. It was getting dark and they had decided to set up camp for the night. Naruto thought back on the first time he had done this mission. He had hated going so slow and had acted all tough but when the danger had finally come in the form of 2 chuunin bent on killing them and their client, he had frozen out of fear and had nearly got himself killed.

It had been Sasuke who had saved him that time and then went on to save guard the old bridge builder as one of the Chuunin charged at him. Naruto looked over his shoulder towards Sasuke now thinking back on all the good times he had been a part of when they were in team 7 together. He had been avoiding all his old friends and comrades religiously out of fear of giving away his secret or at the least raising sufficient suspicion for them to become wary of him.

But now, as he looked on his friend and teammate he was beginning to regret his decision. They had made some sort of bond by this time and had solidified that bond during their battle with Haku and Zabuza during this very mission. He was risking alienating one of his most precious people and person who he knew would be one of his greatest allies if he could keep him on the straight and narrow.

Naruto looked around the camp taking in the faces of his new teammates and realizing just how much damage he was doing by avoiding them. He had in essence alienated himself from them and was causing more suspicion by avoiding the group then by being part of it. He had even had to send Hinata back to them on several occasions to be sure to not bring to much heat down on her. Naruto stood from his seat beside the fire and walked to his sensei's wanting to get their permission for what he was thinking. "Kakashi-sensei…" said Naruto as he stood over the masked man who was on watch.

Kakashi turned to face Naruto with a look of confusion on his face. Naruto had avoided him just as much as the rest of his team since the day they had became an official team. The last time he saw him work as a real team with his partners was during the bell test. He wondered what was on his mind to get him to openly approach him like this. "Yes Naruto. What would you like?" asked Kakashi.

Naruto looked at the man considering his words carefully and then began. "Would it be alright if we went and did some training while were at camp?" asked Naruto in a tone of voice that made it sound like he didn't really care. Kakashi however saw through Naruto's indifference and put two and two together. He was trying to join the group again for whatever reason and the only way he knew how was through training. Kakashi considered this for a moment and then agreed. Kurenai and he would still be at the camp and anything that could get past them was surely going to be able to get past a bunch of genin.

"That's fine Naruto. If the others share your desire to train then go ahead. Don't go far from camp incase we need you or you need us." Said Kakashi as he turned back to his book and his watch. Naruto smiled. As much as things change they stay the same. At least he could always count on Kakashi to be a pervert. Naruto turned and walked back to the fire to see if he could convince the rest of the group to train with him after avoiding them for the last month or so. He hoped that Hinata would catch onto his plan and back him up.

Naruto approached the fire where Kiba and Shino and Hinata were talking amongst themselves. He glanced to the right of the fire and saw Sasuke sitting by himself with Sakura staring at him from a few feet away. He smiled to himself at the sight of his friends the way he truly remembered them. The way they were before the war came and took it all away. He stepped towards Shino and asked "Hey guys, you want to go do some training. Maybe a spar or two." Naruto waited with baited breath for there reply.

Kiba just laughed. "Yeah right, train with you. Why the hell would I want to do that?" said Kiba. Before he could go on however both Shino and Hinata decided that they were more then willing to see Naruto rejoin the group. Naruto chuckled to himself. Leave it to those two to realize my true motives and to be quick to forgive me for my stupidity. Shino stood and said "I'll train with you Naruto. It would be beneficial for us to learn to work as more of a team." Hinata smiled and agreed. "Hai… I agree with Shino. It would be great to train as a group." Said Hinata.

Naruto turned to talk to Sasuke whom he figured would be his hardest target but was rather surprised when the black haired boy walked by him without so much as a look and headed towards the edge of the camp. He stopped at the tree line before turning back. "Are you coming dobe or what?" said Sasuke with a smirk. Naruto was floored. He had not expected that at all. Seeming to understand his hesitation Sasuke simply replied. "I want a rematch for our last spar. I intend to get as strong as possible so that I can kill my brother and avenge my family."

Naruto frowned to himself as he thought on his friend's reason for training. It had been that wish that had guided him to Orochimaru in the first place. He hoped that he could break his friend of his stubborn obsession before it was too late or at the very least get him to accept some help from his friends who would gladly aid him in his goal. Naruto smiled at the Uchiha as he walked towards his old friend "you sure you want a rematch Sasuke. I mean I kicked your ass so bad the first time. I would hate to hurt that ego of yours." mocked Naruto.

The four walked into the woods leaving Kiba and Sakura by the fire. Naruto chuckled to himself when he sensed them following. He knew they wouldn't be able to stay away long with the rest of the team training together. Naruto thought to himself about what he could do to win the group over and bring things back to normal for the team. He wanted to close the gaps that he had forced into place in a hope that he would be able to share his secret with them sooner or later. Having his whole team on his side would be a huge asset when it came to defending the leaf from Orochimaru at the Chuunin exams.

Hinata seemed to sense his uneasiness and decided she would help things get moving. They had spared dozens of times over the past month of their training together. If they showed off some of the things that Naruto had taught her the others would want to know where she learned them and that would give an opening for her and Naruto to bring them over to their side. She was well aware of what Naruto's motives were. He was just as worried as she was if not more so. She had him to believe in but he had nobody. He felt like the fate of Konoha was resting on his shoulders. She wanted desperately to bring their team together to help hold some of that weight.

Hinata stepped out into a small clearing along with the rest of her teammates and turned to Naruto. "Naruto-kun. Would you spar with me please." Said Hinata. Naruto smiled at her and walked forward. "It would be a pleasure Hina-chan. No holding back ok?" said Naruto. Hinata beamed at him with excitement. She was finally going to be able to show the others how much she had improved.

Hinata stepped forward and got into her Gentle fist stance while Naruto stepped into his Taijutsu stance. "Good luck Hina-chan." Said Naruto sincerely. "You too Naruto-kun" replied Hinata. In an instance they were engaged in battle as Hinata activate her Byakugan and charged at Naruto at incredible speeds. Naruto smiled happily as he meet with Hinata in the middle of the field. Hinata attempted to hit chakra point after chakra point while Naruto blocked each attack successfully, pushing the attacks harmlessly to the sides.

Naruto smiled brightly at his opponent. "Ok Hinata see if you can stop this." Yelled Naruto as he jumped back performing seals in the air before yelling out "Fire Release: dragon fire missile". Instantly a huge ball of fire in the shape of a dragons head flew from Naruto's mouth towards the Hyuuga. Hinata stared in amazement for a moment before using a counter jutsu for defense. Quickly performing the seals she yelled "Water Release: water Enchantment wall" causing a large wall of water to shoot from the ground completely blocking Naruto's attack.

Hinata quickly performed more seals and yelled "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough" causing a great explosion of air at her location and sending it rushing towards Naruto. Naruto gaped at the jutsu she had just performed. He had only shown her the basics of it a few days before they left on the mission. It was by no means as powerful as it could be he could see but it was still performed well, especially well for somebody who had only been practicing it for a few days. It had taken him nearly a month to perfect that technique.

Hinata smiled at the look on Naruto's face, she had not expected to be able to perform the jutsu so well but had been determined to surprise Naruto. It seemed she had succeeded. She looked on worriedly; he was not performing any jutsus to counter. What was he doing? Naruto snapped out of his day dreaming realizing that he had to through up a barrier and quickly or he was going to get slammed by a pretty powerful jutsu.

Naruto quickly performed the seals and shouted "Earth Release: earth style wall". The instant before the wave hit a huge wall of rock shot out of the ground to protect him. Naruto quickly braced himself realizing that he had called forth an incomplete form of the jutsu. His teammates watched in horror as the wall cracked and then shattered sending large chunks of rock flying back towards Naruto at high speeds.

Hinata cried out in horror as a landslide of rocks buried Naruto. Hinata ran towards where Naruto had been but halted when she heard him yell "Extreme Decapitating Air Waves". A moment later the rocks that stood in front of Hinata flew into the air breaking into dust and small rocks before raining down on the surrounding area leaving a small crater where the wind had come from. And there in the centre of the crater knelled a very exhausted and beat up looking Naruto. A large gash across his forehead and his shirt ripped where a rock had cut into his chest.

Naruto looked up and smiled weakly at his teammates who rushed towards him to help. "That was one hell of a jutsu Hinata. I didn't expect you to be able to use it yet. Guess that's what I get for underestimating you." said Naruto as he collapsed into her arms. Sasuke looked at the blond and laughed "Serves you right for showing off you baka." Said Sasuke as Shino stared on. "That was a very impressive jutsu you used Naruto-kun. And in such a desperate situation. How did you manage that?" Asked Shino.

The rest of Naruto's team seemed to just realize the same thing and reiterated Shino's question. Naruto cursed himself for his carelessness. He had been awe struck at how well Hinata had used that jutsu and hadn't reacted quick enough to counter. And as a result now he was in this situation. Naruto smiled at the group. "It was just luck. Nothing more. I only had enough time to cast one jutsu and that was the only one I could think of that was powerful enough to get me out of a jam like the one I was in." lied Naruto.

Everybody seemed to buy that except for Shino and Sasuke of course. Shino on his part simply didn't believe him because he knew that Naruto was hiding his true power and that something was not right about the boy. His intellect was telling him that the blond was hiding a lot from his teammates and that he felt he had a good reason. He trusted Hinata's judgment and it was obvious that she knew most if not all of Naruto's secrets and was not afraid of him for it. That was enough for him but he had every intention of getting the loud mouthed ninja to confide in him.

Sasuke on the other hand was simply going on a hunch. He knew very little about the jutsu Naruto had used and thought it was possible that he was telling the truth. But he just had a feeling that he wasn't. Sasuke figured he would keep a close eye on Naruto. Regardless of weather he was lying about that last jutsu he had used several powerful jutsus that he would like to know and if he knew those then maybe he knew others.

Hinata looked down at Naruto with concern in her eyes as she helped him to his feet. "It's alright hina-chan. Their just scratches. They'll be healed in no time." said Naruto. Sakura seemed to share Hinata's concern and insisted that they return to camp to have Kurenai sensei take care of Naruto with some minor medical jutsus. Naruto released that he would not win the argument and instead resigned himself to his fate.

They headed back towards the camp, Hinata and Naruto holding back a bit from the rest of the group under the guise of Naruto being unable to walk to quick due to his injuries. Kiba walked just behind the group but well ahead of Naruto and Hinata listening carefully to the conversation they were having with his canine hearing.

"Are you sure you're alright Naruto-kun. They look pretty deep." Said Hinata as they walked. Naruto smiled to her. "I'm fine really Hinata. You know that. These wounds will heal by themselves within the hour. Their nothing significant." Said Naruto. Kiba gasped at Naruto's words. How could his wounds possibly heal themselves? Did he have some kind of blood limit that nobody else but Hinata knew about?

Hinata continued to look at him worriedly as they approached the camp. "But are you sure Kyuubi will be able to heal those without any problems. How do you know he won't have any problems? We should have Kurenai take a look at them." said Hinata. Kiba stopped dead in his tracks at the mention of the nine tails fox. He was sure he had heard Hinata properly. She had clearly said Kyuubi. The name of the nine tails demon fox that had attacked Konoha 12 years ago. What did it all mean? How or why would a demon heal Naruto's wounds let alone one that was dead?

Naruto rolled his eyes at her for her concern before looking eyes on Kiba. His face paled as he realized what had happened. Hinata looked at Naruto and then at Kiba who was frozen in position before throwing her hand over her mouth and turning to Naruto with tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry Naruto-kun. I didn't mean to really. Please you have to believe me." Begged Hinata. Naruto looked quickly at Hinata, squeezed her hand before shooting off and wrapping his arm around Kiba's shoulder and squeezing his shoulder tightly and whispering in his ear.

"I know you heard her Kiba so listen closely to me. What you just heard stays between the three of us. I consider you a friend, I really do. But I will not let you reveal a secret that has been kept from the entire village for nearly 13 years. Keep it to yourself and I will tell you everything as soon as the three of us have a moment alone." Said Naruto.

Hinata walked up on the other side of Kiba and grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently. "Please Kiba-kun. It's nothing like what you might think. It's really important, please don't tell anybody. Please do it for me." Pleaded Hinata. Kiba looked back and forth at the two while he considered everything he had just heard and the way they were acting. He had not been sure what it all meant but now he was beginning to think that it was something big. As much as he wanted to scream out to the others, to get their attention and help he decided that if Hinata trusted the blond then he could trust him at least a little bit. If he didn't like what he heard he could always tell the others then."

Kiba nodded silently and then said "Ok, I'll keep it secret but you had better tell me everything Naruto. It's not right to keep secrets from your team. It only causes problems." And with that he shook himself free from Naruto's grip and hurried to catch up with the others who had not even noticed the exchange.

* * *

Naruto and Hinata reached the campsite shortly after the others and were met by a very angry looking Kurenai. "What the hell did you two think you were doing training with jutsus that powerful while were on a mission. What if Naruto had been seriously hurt or worse killed. Then what. We would have had to take him back to Konoha for medical attention if it was serious and that would have screwed the whole mission up." Said Kurenai.

Hinata thought she was going to break down right there at the thought of Naruto dieing because of her. How could she have been so stupid? She had showed up and caught him of guard and it had nearly cost him his life. And then what would have happened to his mission. She started to cry and quickly found herself wrapped in a pair of strong warm arms.

Naruto glared at Kurenai. "Don't you think you could have been a little easier on her? I'm fine, nothing more then a few scratches and you just told her I could have died. What the hells your problem." Yelled Naruto. Once again Kurenai found herself taken aback by the pair and was about to rip into the little brat for talking back to her when Kakashi stepped in. "That's enough for tonight. Kurenai take Naruto and heal his wounds while I talk with Hinata." Said Kakashi as he took Hinata from Naruto's arms and guided her towards her tent.

Kurenai took Naruto by the arm and guided him towards the fire so she could see his wounds clearly. "I know your right sensei but you didn't have to tell her like that. She was and is in bad enough shape as it is. She has to deal with the knowledge that it was her jutsu that did this to me. But I don't want her to know just how close she came to finishing me off." Said Naruto as he stared into the fire.

Kurenai found herself staring at the young blond, surprised by his confession and showing of emotion, fear even. She began healing Naruto's wounds. "So it was that close was it?" asked Kurenai. Naruto nodded. "I was just able to perform a barrier jutsu to weaken the blow I took. It held together just long enough for me to use a wind jutsu to blast my way free. If I had taken even a second or two longer I would have been mush under those rocks. But I don't want her knowing that. It only happened because I lost my concentration." Said Naruto, looking down at his chest and realizing his wounds were healed.

Naruto stood from the fire. "I'm going to call it a night Kurenai sensei. I think Hinata is going to need me tonight. I really scared her. I don't think I have ever seen her so worried before. I need her to know that it wasn't her fault and that I'm fine." said Naruto. Kurenai stood up and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Sit down Naruto. Hinata needs to talk to Kakashi right now and you need to relax and grab something to eat. I may have gone a little hard on you. I know just as well as Kakashi that you two were trying to show off for the group so that they would want you guys to show them how to do those jutsus." Said Kurenai.

"You two really have come a long way since you started your training sessions. Although I get the feeling that it's really Hinata that's improving the most. You just need to know when to go easy. If she had killed you Naruto it would have destroyed her and you know it. She cares a lot for you, that's something that anybody can see. Just think what damage it would have had on her as a shinobi and as a person if you had died today and at her hand." Naruto Shuttered at the thought.

She was right of course. A large part of Hinata would have died with him today had he been killed. She never would have been able to continue being a shinobi. She was the type of person that would continue to blame her self for the rest of her life and her family would not have helped matters. Chances are she would not have lived much longer afterwards. He cursed himself again for his carelessness and swore he would never put her in that situation again.

Naruto sat back down at the fire with Kurenai and continued to talk to the jonin about Hinata and himself and the progress that the two had made since they started working together. It was about twenty minutes later that Kakashi returned to the fire.

* * *

Hinata walked towards her tent while Kakashi helped her along. She just stared at the ground while tears ran down her cheeks. It didn't matter what Naruto said. She knew how close it had been. Her stupidity had come so close to causing the death of the boy she loved and he didn't blame her at all. She couldn't stand it. She wished he would yell at her, tell her how stupid she was, and hate her for her screw up. At least that way she would feel like she was getting what she deserved but he would never do that.

He knew that it was her fault; he knew that she had almost killed him even though he said he was just playing along and that he had never been in any real danger. She knew better. He was hiding it from her because he didn't want her to know just how close it had been. Hinata ducked her head and walked into the tent, taking a seat on her sleeping bag while Kakashi sat on Naruto's.

Kakashi looked at the girl in front of him. She had come so far since Naruto started working with her and yet one mistake had ripped it all away. she had gone right back to blaming herself for everything despite some of the blame rested on Naruto's shoulders and some of it even rested on his shoulders for letting them train without supervision. Naruto knew it wasn't completely her fault and even if it had been he would never blame her. But none of that mattered he realized. She would blame herself enough for everybody. She was so used to beating herself up that it had just become second nature.

Kakashi put his hand on the girls head and mussed her hair not knowing what else to do. "Listen Hinata this was not your fault, at least not all your fault and you need to stop blaming yourself." He said and then sighed when she ignored him. "Hinata, Naruto fines. He's a quick healer because of the Kyuubi and he'll be fine. You have to understand that. It would take a lot to kill him and despite what happened he would never blame you. But more then that he wouldn't want you to blame yourself either." Continued Kakashi.

Hinata looked up at Kakashi, tears still running down her face. "I tried to show off and because I used a technique that he didn't know I could use yet he froze. And because he froze he almost died. It's all my fault. How can he possibly love me now that I risk his life so recklessly." Cried Hinata. Kakashi shook his head. She just didn't get it. "Hinata if you really care for Naruto you'll stop blaming yourself and get over it. It's true that it was a close call and it was friendly fire but even so the pain Naruto will feel if he sees you like this will be a hundred times worse then if he had been crushed by those rocks. He cares for you a lot and knowing that he was the cause of your pain will tear him apart. Do you understand?" asked Kakashi.

Hinata looked up at Kakashi and nodded. She knew he was right. Naruto had never blamed her for anything and he had always told her that she was so strong. He was even proud of her for using that technique and beating him despite everything. She still wanted to cry but not for the same reason anymore. It was a more selfish reason she realized. What she really wanted was for Naruto to be there to forgive her and to pull her close, to tell her that everything was going to be alright and then to hold her while she cried out her worries. He was so strong and he always had so much love to give.

Kakashi smiled at the blue haired Hyuuga as he stood and walked out of the tent. He figured it was about time that the two got to bed. He would give them the last watch so they could have some time to talk before sleeping and getting up for the watch. He smiled to himself at the thought of how much they had both improved. A few months ago Hinata never would have fought with Naruto, she wouldn't even have talked to him but now she had openly expressed her love for the young ninja and had excelled at the training that Naruto was providing.

Kakashi was not blind to the fact that Naruto had been the one teaching Hinata all the new techniques. It was obvious that he was hiding something now. The Hokage's suspicions were correct but like the Hokage, Naruto believed in Naruto and trusted the boy even if he didn't show it openly. He was his teacher's son after all. He hadn't been around to look after the boy in his childhood but now that he was a ninja he would watch over him.

* * *

Naruto ducked into the tent after having a short talk with Kakashi and being told that he and Hinata had the 4am watch. He zipped up the tent behind him and sat down beside Hinata who was sitting in the corner of the next with her knees pulled up to her chest. She had stopped crying but Naruto could tell that she was barely controlling herself. She was a wreck he realized. "Hinata. I'm sorry. I never should have put you in that position. It's totally my fault, but I'm fine really. You know it'll take a lot more then some wind and earth to kill me." Naruto said with a slight laugh hoping to lighten her mood.

Hinata looked up at Naruto, their eyes locked on each others and in an instant she had crossed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his waist, knocking him over. She cried heavily into his chest while he tried to pull her off him to look at her face. Hinata refused to let go, she clung to him like her life depended on it. "Please don't send me away Naruto-kun. I swear I won't do it again, just don't hate me please." Pleaded Hinata as she continued to cry into his chest.

Naruto stared blankly at Hinata as she clung to him. He could not believe what she had just said. Did she really believe that he would just throw her away like a piece of trash just because she had injured him a bit? "Hinata… how could you think that I would do such a thing. I love you, you know that. I'm fine. You didn't hurt me, I HURT ME. My stupidity and my ignorance is what got me injured. I underestimated you, something that a ninja is never supposed to do for that very reason. Underestimating your opponent can get you killed in the Shinobi world. I know this better then most, I watched a lot of my friends die, several for that very reason. And yet I let myself forget that rule and got hurt because of It." said Naruto.

"It was not your fault, and even if it was your fault I would not send you away, I could never hate you. You're everything to me, my most precious person. I would give up everything to protect you and what really hurts me is that I'm the reason that you're like this, that you're so upset because of me. I can't stand to think about it, I can't forgive myself for putting you in a position where you would feel like you failed me. You didn't fail me at all Hinata, and I don't blame you for Kiba either. He was bound to find out eventually, they all are. And it was my mistake as much as yours. I need you to trust me when I say that you have done NOTHING wrong." Said Naruto in a pleading voice.

Hinata slowly released Naruto and stared up into large ocean blue eyes. She crawled forward until her face was only a few inches from his. Pale lavender stared into ocean blue while they stared back. Hinata felt her heart racing and her body was on fire. She slowly closed the gap between them and very lightly let their lips meet. Naruto felt his heart skip a beat as she pressed her lips to his. He reveled in the taste of her lips and then gently pulled her away.

Hinata looked into his eyes, looking for permission to continue and instead found hesitation. "Not so fast Hinata. We have all the time in the world for that. Were barely 13 now? Just wait a little longer. You don't have to rush this. I'm not going anywhere." Said Naruto. Hinata nodded silently before lying down on his chest and finding that nook in his shoulder that she loved to rest her head in.

Naruto wrapped his arms around Hinata and pulled her sleeping bag over them to keep them warm while they slept. He knew they would be up in about 6 hours to take the watch so he figured they should get some sleep. He closed his eyes and let himself drift to sleep.

* * *

Naruto awoke to a kick in the side. "Wake up dobe. And wake your girlfriend up too. It's time for your watch." Naruto scowled at Sasuke and then sat up. "Yeah, yeah. I got it. I'm awake now get the fuck out of here." said Naruto before kicking Sasuke in the stomach. Sasuke staggered back a few steps before turning around and walking out of the tent. Naruto turned to Hinata who was still fast asleep and shook her lightly. "Hina-chan, it's time to get up honey." Said Naruto.

Hinata moaned quietly as she opened her eyes and stared into Naruto's. She smiled at waking up net to him and slowly sat up. "Well good morning beautiful." Said Naruto as he stood and stepped outside. "I'll let you get changed first. Come out when your finished." And with that he zipped up the tent behind him. Hinata smiled to herself. He was such a gentleman. Hinata quickly got dressed and stepped outside to let Naruto do the same.

Hinata quickly activated her Byakugan after Naruto entered the tent and then giggled quietly before deactivating it. Naruto exited the tent to find Hinata with a deep blush on her face that made her look like a tomato. He looked into her eyes and then back at the tent before putting two and two together and laughing. "You know Hinata if you really wanted to see me that bad you could have just asked." Said Naruto as he laughed again. Hinata's blush got even worse if that was possible and she buried her face in his chest to hide it as they walked out to the edge of camp to relieve Sakura and Sasuke.

Sasuke turned to see Naruto and Hinata approaching and jumped out of his place in the tree. "About time dobe. I was beginning to think I would have to come get you again." said Sasuke. Sakura looked down at the two and waved. "Hey guys. Nothing interesting going on. Enjoy the rest of the watch." And with that they went back to their tents.

Naruto Climbed up into the tree that Sasuke had occupied a few moments earlier and took his post while Hinata occupied the tree across from him where Sakura had sat. Hinata looked over at Naruto who seemed to have a troubled look on his face. She thought back to the night before and how he had stopped her from showing him her love. She laughed to herself as she thought about it. Of course he would want to take it slow. As much as he may look 12 he's actually 22. He must think I'm nothing more then a little girl right now and I made him feel awkward by trying to press the issue last night.

Hinata frowned to herself over her foolishness. She would have to apologize to him and hope that he would forgive her. She smiled slightly as she thought about that. He always forgave her no matter what she did. Surely he would forgive her for this as well. Hinata was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of foot steps behind them. She whirled around to see who it was and was surprised to see Kiba standing beneath the tree staring up at them.

Hinata smiled happily at the young boy. He had always been a friend to her for as long as she could remember. If anybody had to share Naruto's secret with them she was glad that it was Kiba. Kiba returned Hinata's smile as he took a seat at the base of the tree with Akamaru and waited for things to get started. Hinata looked over to Naruto and realized he wasn't even looking at them. She wondered if he had somehow missed Kiba's approach. Before she could follow that line of thought any further thought he spoke. "I guess this means you want to talk now Kiba?"

Naruto turned in his seat so that he was focusing on boy before him and was about to say something when out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of Shino approaching slowly as he normally did. What startled Naruto however was that he didn't sense the bug user at all? His stealth abilities were incredible. "Hello Shino. It seems that nobody can sleep tonight. You come to join us on the watch or something?" asked Naruto hoping that the boy would leave and think nothing of Kiba's presence.

Naruto soon realized that it was not meant to be as Shino nodded and took a seat under his tree. "I believe that you have some things to tell us Naruto. While I sense that I do not know as much as Kiba does I have noticed enough to make me ask questions." Naruto cursed loudly. "Am I such an open book that everybody can read me so easily? I mean FUCK; it's not exactly something I want to announce to the whole world."

Hinata winced at Naruto's obvious irritation. He had been trying to hind his secret from the group for his own reasons and planned on letting them all know in time but he was having the timing changed on him and there was nothing either of them could do. Naruto laughed slightly and shook his head. "I should have known you would figure out enough to make you suspicious Shino. You always were so insightful." Said Naruto.

Shino raised an eyebrow at this comment. He barely knew Naruto and was unsure how well the boy could possibly know him. Yet he talked as if he had known him quite well for years. He looked towards Hinata who seemed to be just staring at Naruto with sympathy in her eyes. He finally realized why she had changed so greatly in the past month. "She knows doesn't she Naruto?" asked

Naruto sighed. There was no point denying it now. Kiba either knew for sure that he was related to the Kyuubi in some way or knew more then enough to start digging which would eventually lead him to that conclusion. The later of the two being much more public. And Shino, well Shino's damn insightfulness had given him more then enough reason to suspect that something was up and he would know soon enough. He looked to Hinata begging her for support with his eyes.

Hinata locked her eyes with his and instantly understood that he didn't know if he could handle telling two of his friends about the very secret that had made almost everybody that knew hate him. She had been an exception to this rule of course as had a select few of the adults but on the whole the majority of the village hated him and he was afraid of turning them against him. She trusted Kiba and Shino. She knew they wouldn't judge him based on this information.

Hinata tore her eyes from Naruto and jumped down from the tree to sit beside Kiba. She looked at him with a smile and then locked eyes on Shino. "Will you two promise me that you will keep Naruto's secret? I trust you both with my life and I couldn't possibly ask for more loyal and precious friends then the two of you, but I need to hear you say it to me. I need to know that you won't betray him. Because betraying him would be like betraying me." Said Hinata as she begged them both with her eyes.

Kiba stared at Hinata for a second and then towards Shino to get his take on the whole situation. He smiled as he realized how useless it was to try and read the bug user. He had never been an easy read. He looked up to Naruto briefly before settling his eyes back on Hinata. "If you trust him Hinata that I do as well. You have my word and Akamaru's as well." said Kiba. Hinata smiled and then looked back towards Shino, waiting for his answer.

Shino quickly assessed the situation. From what little he did know about Naruto he found it hard to believe that anything he had to say could cause him to dislike or hate the loud mouthed boy. Coupled with the fact that Hinata seemed to trust him implicitly and that gave him more then enough reason to trust him. Hinata had enough smarts to know when to trust somebody and to know if somebody was lying. If she knew everything and still trusted him, but more then that loved him, and even felt sad for him then it was enough for him.

Shino nodded. "You have my word Hinata. And you too Naruto. I shall take your secret to the grave, I swear It." said the bug user in a monotone voice. Naruto sighed. Hinata trusted them and he trusted Hinata with his very life. That should be enough. He sat there silent for a moment longer and then nodded to himself. "Ok. Lets begin then." Said Naruto as he jumped from the tree and sat beside the Bug user so that they were facing in a small square looking at each other.

Naruto looked between the three of them and steeled himself for what was to come. "You should all know that you will probably regret learning this little piece of information. It will bring everything you know to be true about the leaf into question. Granted most of what you know is true but there is one very large event which is shadowed in lies. What I'm about to tell you has been with held from all of you by the council and the Third for your entire lives. Are you sure you want to deal with that truth." Asked Naruto as he looked between Kiba and Shino and then to Hinata who looked at him with love and pride in her eyes.

Shino and Kiba looked at each other once and then in unison said. "Let's hear it." Naruto smiled at their determination. Perhaps they would be able to handle the truth after all. Naruto took a deep breath to steel himself and steady his mind before beginning. "Alright." Said Naruto. "Nearly 13 years ago a powerful demon brought his fury against the leaf for an unknown reason. He ravaged all of Fire country before finally turning his attention to Konoha. It seemed like nothing could stop him until one night the newly appointed Hokage of the leaf walked onto the battlefield and on that night the Kyuubi was defeated." Said Naruto, looking between the two ninja to gauge their reaction.

Both Kiba and Shino sat still, their expressions blank as they listened to Naruto. Naruto realized he would get no reaction from them at this point and continued. "Now for the part that you don't know. The part that you were lied to about and the most important part. The adults of the village would have you believe that on that night the Hokage single handedly killed the Kyuubi at the cost of his own life. However in reality the Hokage never killed the Kyuubi at all. He knew that the demon was too powerful to kill and so he did the only thing he could think of. He sealed the demon away forever using a forbidden sealing jutsu. This jutsu costs the user his very life to cast. The user makes a pact with the God of Death and in doing so gives his soul in exchange for the soul of his enemy being sealed along with him." said Naruto.

That caught their attention of course. Kiba was looking at him with a shocked and confused look on his face while Shino had simply paled his eyes full of immediate understanding. Naruto decided he should finish it. "Normally this seal would simply seal both souls together in the underworld and have them battle for all eternity. However the Fourth knew that the demon was so powerful that he could potentially consume all the souls within the underworld and then beat the gate keeper, and in doing so release himself onto the world again even stronger then before. So he decided to seal the Kyuubi within a child, one who would one day be able to wield the demons power as they began to merge together. And when the child died the Kyuubi would die with him."

Kiba still didn't understand what the hell Naruto was talking about. He couldn't believe that any of this could possibly be true but even if it was who the hell was this child that he was talking about. He looked over at Shino and startled at the look of the boy. He was ghostly white as if he had been scared out of his skin. "Shino… You ok man?" asked Kiba. Naruto Ignored Kiba's question as Shino did and continued. "The child that the Fourth sealed the Kyuubi within is me." Said Naruto. He pulled up his shirt and pushed chakra to the seal so that they could see it. He fell back on the ground and looked up at the stars now that his job was done. He didn't have the heart to look them in the face and see their response. Their silence was all he needed to hear to know what they thought.

Kiba stared at Naruto and then back at Shino and finally to Hinata. He didn't know what confused him more. What Naruto had said the lack of response from Shino or the sympathy and sorrow that he saw in Hinata's eyes like she was suffering just watching the blond boy? Naruto got to his feet and without even looking at the group he turned his back to them and walked away. Hinata stared in shock at him as he started to leave. Where was he going? They were on watch together. "Naruto-kun…" called out Hinata.

Naruto Stopped and stood there for a moment. "Where are you going?" asked Hinata. "I thought I would give you all some room. I don't think they want to be around me." Said Naruto and continued to walk away. Shino quickly looked up at the blond as he walked away and then called after him. "You're wrong Naruto. This information did nothing but make me respect you more. You will have to excuse my earlier expression but I was not expecting this." Said Shino as he stood and walked towards him.

Kiba stood and followed the bug user. "Well at least I don't have a headache trying to figure it all out anymore. This doesn't change anything though Naruto. I'm still going to kick your ass and show you who the better shinobi is." said Kiba. Naruto laughed at the comment. "Whatever you say dog breath." Hinata smiled at the boys. They had taken it well and they were even joking about it now. She walked to Naruto's side, wrapping her arms around his side and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Aren't you going to tell them the rest Naruto-kun?" asked Hinata. Naruto rolled his eyes at the girl. "Hinata you have a really big mouth you know that." Said Naruto with a laugh. Hinata shot her hand over her mouth quickly and then blushed. "I'm sorry Naruto-kun" said Hinata. Kiba and Shino looked at the two and said "the REST?" Naruto looked at the two now very curious ninja's. "You guys will have to wait for the rest. We have plenty of time to go over it but now is not the time or place to be reviewing such information.

The boys looked at Hinata and then back to Naruto before agreeing and saying their goodbyes. Within a few minutes Naruto was alone with Hinata again. He turned towards the still blushing Hyuuga and hugged her. "Thank you for being there for me. It meant a lot." Said Naruto. He walked back to the tree and took his place in his tree. Hinata stared at him longingly for a moment before returning to her own tree and staring out into the distance.

* * *

Naruto turned as he sensed Kakashi approaching from the camp. The jonin nodded to the blond as he walked up beside him. "You guys can come back to camp now. Breakfast is ready. We'll be heading out within the hour." Said Kakashi. He turned and started walking back to camp. Naruto nodded and walked back towards camp with Hinata by his side. They walked to the centre of camp and grabbed a seat with the others.

Kiba looked up from his breakfast and stared briefly at the two as they approached before returning to his food. His head was still swimming with everything they had discussed last night. Shino and he had stayed up for the next hour or so after their little chat with Naruto and Hinata to discuss what this did to the team. It was awkward at best with 4 members of the team keeping a secret from the other two. Kakashi and Kurenai didn't count if what Naruto said was true because as adults they had known everything from day one.

Both Kiba and Shino had been confused about what Hinata had meant when she asked Naruto if he would explain the rest. It had obviously been something important and far more secretive then the Kyuubi issue because he had seemed almost scared to discuss it in the open. They had talked back and forth between the two of them trying to figure out what it was but after about and hour they had given up and resigned themselves to the fact that they would have to wait for Naruto to reveal his last big secret to them.

Naruto quickly finished his breakfast and helped Hinata pack up their tent before preparing to leave with the rest of the team. He was feeling more and more nervous as time went on. It had been around this area that the team had first been attacked in his time, a fact that he was not soon going to forget. He just couldn't shake the fact that with the team dynamics so much different now then they had been before; that the opponents they ran into could be different as well.

The first time around it had seemed like they knew of the mission ahead of time. It had been like they knew where to wait for them. If that was true then that meant that they would know what the team setup would be and there was no way they were going to send 2 chuunin against 2 jonin and 6 genin. That worried him. If they really did know about the team setup then he was in the dark just as much as the rest of them except for the fact that he knew they were in danger and they didn't.

The team finished packing up camp and started out towards Wave country again. In the last couple of hours Hinata had noticed that Naruto was becoming more and more edgy as time went on and it worried her. He seemed to have his guard up as if he was expecting something to happen any moment now. He had skewered a rabbit less then an hour ago when it hoped through some bushes. He had laughed about it afterwards saying he thought they could have it for dinner but Hinata had not believed his explanation. It was clear to her that he was expecting an attack and that something was different then it had been before. He was obviously on edge because he knew something was coming but didn't seem to know when or where or how.

Naruto sighed to himself as they continued on their long walk. He was beginning to draw attention to himself again and he could tell he was scaring Hinata. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. He was not going to let himself be overcome by the unknown. He still knew that they were out there and that was something they would not be expecting. All he had to do was take it easy, act natural and when the time came he would be ready.

That was when it happened. He took a step and felt the line break under his feet. He hadn't been paying attention and he had walked right into their trap. He instantly spread out his senses and was horrified by what he saw. Half a dozen ninja on the outer reaches of his senses and there were explosive tags in the ground and on the trees in a 20 meter radius. Naruto knew he didn't have the time to warn his team. He spun performing seals as he went and screamed out. "Wind Wave" A powerful wave of wind shot from Naruto's position towards his team. In an instant they were thrown clear of the blast radius leaving Naruto behind.

Kakashi was about to retaliate to what he thought was a betrayal when the tags went off destroying the entire area where Naruto had been. Hinata stood staring at the cloud of smoke and screamed. "NARUTOOOOO". Kakashi and Kurenai quickly took point. "Take your positions, protect the client" said Kurenai. As the smoke cleared they gasped at the sight before them. There nearly 50 feet ahead of the explosion was Naruto and 3 chuunin locked in battle. Naruto was dodging and parrying attacks all around him.

Hinata ran forward intent on helping her love when Kakashi put his hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Hinata there might be more of them waiting to ambush us. We need to be careful." Said Kakashi. Hinata nodded as she quickly activated her Byakugan and searched the surrounding areas for traps and enemies. "There don't seem to be any more traps sensei but there are 2 more ninja to the right about 60 feet and ahead of us about 75 feet. There's another ninja 60 feet across from them. They seem to be waiting for us to attack." Said Hinata.

Shino could tell that Naruto was hurt badly. He seemed to be badly burned on his left side and his left arm hung limp at his side. He had a large gash across his forehead which was bleeding profusely and he could see that his right leg was bleeding badly as well. Yet with all his injuries he seemed to be holding his own in the battle.

Naruto dodged a kunai that was thrown at him and rolled to the right. Without his left arm he couldn't use any jutsu except for the Rasengan. And he couldn't use that either or he would reveal everything to both his enemies and his teammates. Naruto removed a kunai from his pouch and waited for the chuunin in front of him to charge. A few moments later it happened, the chuunin lunged at Naruto hoping to finish him in one blow, Naruto jumped in the air, twirling he stretched out his arm with the kunai and jammed the kunai through the attacking ninjas throat killing him instantly.

Naruto landed slightly of balance and before he could steady himself one of the other chuunin cast slammed his fist into Naruto's stomach causing him to double over in pain. The chuunin promptly delivered a kick to Naruto's face sending him flying backwards. Naruto slowly climbed to his feet, red chakra seeping from his pores. He could feel the fox's power coursing through his veins and covering his body. He couldn't see himself but he was sure that if he could, he would see that his eyes were blood red, his whisker marks had elongated, and his fingers nails had grown longer into the shape of claws.

Team 7 was about to launch an attack when they saw Naruto climb to his feet. The breath caught in Hinata's throat as she stared on in a mix of horror and awe at what she was seeing. Naruto's wounds were healing at an incredible rate and he seemed to be stronger now. But what really scared her and the rest of her team was the incredible killer intent coming from Naruto. It was horrible, and the chakra she could sense from him was growing at an unbelievable rate.

Shino and Kiba stared in amazement as Naruto's wounds finished healing. One of the chuunin charged at him, performing seals and using an earth jutsu to send a series of spikes flying towards Naruto. Naruto looked towards the spikes flying towards him and then charged straight at them. He cut through them like they had been made of butter and in an instant he was on the chuunin who had called them forth.

Sakura screamed when she saw what Naruto did to the chuunin he attacked. He had jumped onto the attacker and in a matter of seconds he had ripped large chunks of flesh from the ninja. By the time he was done there was little more then a pile of butchered meat where a ninja has once stood and beside it stood Naruto, covered in blood and tiny pieces of flesh hanging off his clothes.

Naruto looked around him, the other 3 chuunin had come out of hiding by this time and they were all eyeing him warily. He was beginning to take control of his body again, Kyuubi had taken over in order to protect him and now that the immediate threat was gone and his wounds were healed he was backing off. The first thing Naruto realized when he got himself under control was what he had done while under the power of the Kyuubi's chakra. Beside him were the remains of a chuunin he had attacked. That is if you could call it a chuunin. Right now it didn't look like much more then diced meat.

The next thing he realized was the screaming. He looked back to see Kurenai holding Sakura who was shaking in terror at what she had scene. Naruto felt like somebody had run him through with a blade. Seeing one of his most precious people so afraid of him hurt more then he could have possibly imagined. Hinata looked at Naruto and immediately knew he was back. She looked into his eyes and saw the pain and loss he was feeling at what lay before him.

Naruto slowly began to back away from the two groups. He looked towards the chuunin who seemed confused by his actions and then towards team 7 and a moment later he spun around and started to run. Hinata screamed for him to come back but it was too late. He was already long gone and she knew she had to deal with the situation in front of them before she could go after him.

Kakashi survived the scene quickly and then gave his orders. "Kiba you're with me, Sasuke you're with Kurenai. Shino, Hinata, stay with Sakura and the client. I'll take the 2 on the left, Kurenai you take the 2 on the right." Said Kakashi and with that they were off.

Naruto stopped in a tree a few hundred yards from the battle and hid his chakra signature. He watched the battle unfold from a distance with his senses. Kakashi had charged at one of the chuunin, Kunai in hand. The two meet in a clash of metal and began parrying each others attacks. Kurenai caught one in her Demon illusion tree bind technique and proceeded to quickly run him through with a kunai. Kakashi activated his Chidori and slammed his fist through the chuunin's chest as Kiba and Akamaru battled with another chuunin to his right. Kiba jumped into the air and threw several Kunai at the chuunin before him. When his opponent dodged them he ran right into Akamaru's piercing fang attack sending him flying out into the woods.

Sasuke kicked his opponent into the air and jumped up following his targets path in the air. He lined himself up and slammed his heal into the chuunin's chest sending him flying towards the ground. As he flew toward the ground Sasuke performed several seals, arched his back while breathing in deeply and blew a huge ball of fire towards the chuunin who had no chance to avoid it. In a matter of seconds the chuunin was nothing more then a pile of ashes on the ground.

And with that it was over. Team 7 gathered together again with the client between them while Hinata searched the surrounding area with her Byakugan for more enemies. Kakashi looked back to Sakura who had calmed down and then to the rest of the team. He was sure that they all had questions now. At least all of them except for Hinata who knew about it. Even so he was fairly certain she had never witnessed Naruto in this state before. Truth be told he didn't think anybody had witnessed Naruto in that state before but it didn't seem like it had been his first time. He seemed to be used to it when he came back and he already knew that it had been him that Sakura was screaming at.

He had more important things to worry about right now other then their questions though. Like finding Naruto. If he had learned to tap into the demons chakra then that could mean any number of things. Not the least of which was that perhaps the demon had actually taken control of him. On the other hand it could be that Naruto had tamed the beast in some manner and gained his power like the Fourth believed he would one day. If that was the case he still had to deal with his emotional instability. It had been obvious when he left that he was broken inside. Sakura had really screwed things up by freaking out like that.

Naruto relaxed his senses and rested for a moment while he tried to focus his thoughts. He had scared one of his closest friends to the point of making her hysterical. But worse then that, even those who knew his secret had been scared. Even Hinata was afraid of him. He had not missed the fear in her eyes when she looked at him. He had been a fool to think that they would be able to truly understand and accept the demon fox within him without ever witnessing its power. And he had been an even bigger fool in thinking that they would continue to trust him and value him once they had witnessed his transformation.

A single tear rolled down his cheek as he looked back towards the direction of his team and in that moment he made up his mind. He had never belonged to that village to begin with. He would leave his friends behind for their protection and fight his war from outside the village. He would save them all the same but he had no place in that village, he had no right to his friends. His chances at happiness had died the day the Kyuubi was sealed within him; they had died with his clan and his father. This was his burden to carry and his alone. Even if they could not care for him, he would watch over them and see to their safety.

Naruto jumped down from the tree still facing the direction of his team, silently saying his last goodbye before turning to walk away. He proceeded to walk straight into Hinata. She looked up at him, fear still clearly pained in her eyes. No… it was different now. It wasn't the same as it had been back on the field. This was a different kind of fear he realized. She didn't fear him, no she feared loosing him.

Before he could say a thing Naruto found Hinata latched onto his waist, her arms tightening around him like a vice. She screamed out his name and cried like a little child that was afraid of their parent leaving them. She was a child thought, as strong as she was; she was still only a child of nearly 13. He often forgot this fact. It was only natural for her and the rest of them to fear him at first. Sakura had never even been told about him. It had scared the hell out him the first time he realized what was within him, the first time he witnessed the fox in its cell. Of course they would be afraid. But for Hinata it had only lasted a moment. It had been nothing more then an instinct.

Naruto Reached down and gently removed Hinata's arms from his waist and pulled her to her feet from where she had fallen. He placed her arms around his neck and leaned his head on her shoulder, wrapped his arms around her back and pulling her close. "I swear I will never leave you again Hinata. Please forgive my ignorance. I thought you had started to fear and hate me once you saw the Kyuubi's power. I should have known you would stay by my side."

Naruto looked over Hinata's Shoulder and saw the rest of his team standing there. He knew he would have a lot of explaining to do now, to the whole team. But more then that it seemed like he had some magic to work. It was obvious that Kakashi once again wanted to head back to the village and leave the mission behind. He would have to deal with his stubbornness yet again and it seemed that the rest of the team agreed with the jonin except for one young Hyuuga. He cursed his luck, why did it always have to be so difficult?


	8. The Following Day

**Author Notes:**

Ok so let me first apologize for the long delay in my update. Business got really busy all of a sudden and so instead of having what we typically have (i.e. a slow period for a few months) we are in the middle of a high season which is very strange for me. The result is that I'm pulling 12 and 14 hour days 5 – 6 days a week in order to keep up with all of my clients. This does not leave me a lot of time for writing or anything else for that matter. Couple that with it being Christmas and my life has been like hell on earth for the past 2 weeks or so.

I had a reader ask that I use double spacing from now on however i have tried to get it to work and FanFiction always uploads it without the formatting. Sorry guys.

Of course it's a good problem to have. Being this busy means I'm making a ridiculous amount of money from my clients but it also means I have little time to myself. Anyways I have finally gotten things under control to some extent. At least enough that I can get this chapter out. Things may be slow on the updates for the next month or so but I will try to get a chapter out every 3 – 5 days and hopefully can get things picked up afterwards when I can get some more staff working with me to reduce the work load on myself.

Well with that said it looks like most of you enjoyed chapter 7. I hope that you will enjoy the continuation of the Wave country mission and continue reading and reviewing as we continue on our journey through the life of one crazy blond haired ninja. Enjoy and don't forget to REVIEW, REVIEW, and REVIEW.

**PS:** one last note. I am well aware that the timeline for some of these jutsus is not quite right and I am also aware that some of the jutsus I'm mentioning are not performed exactly the way that I mention in the story. I'm doing this on purpose. This is my story after all and I never said I would follow things exactly according to the story.

* * *

**Second Chances**

Chapter Eight: The Following Day

By Cybergades

* * *

Naruto sat by the fire, Hinata sitting close beside him as the rest of Team 7 discussed the current situation amongst themselves. They were discussing the status of the mission and weather or not they should head back for Konoha. When the battle had ended a little over an hour ago Kakashi had insisted that the mission was too dangerous for the genin and that the client had lied which meant that they were not obligated to continue. Before Naruto could disagree with him Hinata had spoke up and pointed out that they should setup camp because it was already getting late and it would be better to head back in the morning after discussing the possibilities. 

Naruto had smiled to himself briefly as Kakashi put on a thoughtful face and then agreed that it was the best course of action. It had been what he needed. They had set up the camp within a half hour and then had gone out to gather wood for the fire. Now that everybody had returned Naruto had insisted that they discuss the options and showed his obvious displeasure in the idea of abandoning the mission.

Kakashi had reluctantly agreed to discuss it as a team after Hinata had spoke up and added her agreement of Naruto's point of view. So here they sat, the conversation was just starting and Naruto was waiting to put in his two cents worth. He was quite concerned. Previously it had only been 2 chuunin and he had been able to convince Kakashi to continue. But this time it had been 6 chuunin. The mission was already more dangerous then it was before and Naruto knew he would be hard pressed to convince the jonin without revealing his secret to them.

At the same time Naruto knew that he was not ready to reveal the details of the future to anybody other then Hinata. He had not figured out how to tell them and ensure things went his way. Bringing the jonin into it would likely cause a lot of problems. He steeled his nerves as he listened to Kakashi's words and prepared to jump in. "This mission is just too dangerous for the likes of a genin team. This mission was originally ranked a C rank mission but it is now obviously an A rank mission and if that battle was any indication of what's to come we will likely face further hostiles as we continue. Those ninja were missing Nin. All of them. And they were all from different villages. That means that somebody hired them. They would not have come together by themselves." Said Kakashi in a way that made it clear that he felt they should return to Konoha.

Naruto stood up and stared around the camp. "That's right Kakashi, they were missing Nin, they were from different villages, they were hired by somebody, and this mission is obviously now A rank at the least. But the fact is we accepted the mission and I for one refuse to turn away when the going gets tough. We can't choose our battles. All we can do is fight our best and work hard. We know their coming now and we will be ready. We have to continue this mission. If we turn back now the old man will die and you know It." said Naruto in a calm and icy voice.

Kakashi looked into Naruto's blue eyes and saw a determination that he had never seen in the boy before. He was dead set on this but the question was why. There was obviously something more then what he was saying but he didn't know what it was. "Why do you care about continuing this mission so badly that you're willing to put your life on the line Naruto?" asked Kakashi.

Naruto just stood there for a moment as if choosing his words carefully and then he replied in the same icy tone he had used before. "It's simple, I refuse to let this mission be a failure, and I refuse to let an entire country suffer at the hands of a tyrant when I can do something about it. The fact is he lied to us about the mission, the old man hid the truth but he did it because he needed help and the Wave country could not afford the real cost of this type of mission. I'm not saying its right but I am saying I understand his reasons." Naruto stared at his teammates to gauge their reactions and smirked internally as he saw their opinions changing before his very eyes.

True they were not voicing them yet but he knew that he had got to them. Kakashi was a different story and to some extent so was Kurenai. Both jonin seemed to still believe it was an unnecessary risk and Kakashi voiced just that. "This is not a matter of not wanting to help Naruto. Of course we all feel for their situation and if they had brought the truth of this mission to our attention the Hokage may have even helped them regardless of their inability to pay for it. But the fact is the rules say we should return, a genin team is not prepared for this kind of mission. There could easily be causalities; you yourself were almost killed in the last battle."

Naruto was about to start in on Kakashi again but was beat to the punch by the last person he expected to come to his aid. Shino stood silently and placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder as he began to speak. "I must agree with Naruto on this matter. The mission may have changed drastically since we begun but I still believe we are capable of completing it and without the loss of any of our team mates." Shino sat back down having finished his contribution.

Sakura was the next to speak out and compared to Shino and Naruto she was like the polar opposite. "I think we should head back to Konoha. We are not ready to be taking on these kinds of fights and like Kakashi-sensei said things will likely get worse if we continue. Not to mention that there is still the matter of Naruto's attack on those ninja. He should be looked at by a medical nin to find out what caused him to snap like that." Said Sakura with obvious fear in her voice.

Naruto winced slightly at the sound of Sakura's voice. He had been expecting it but it still hurt to hear. Before he could reply however Hinata began to speak. Everybody stared in shock at her confident and strong voice. They had not been expecting it as she had been so timid up until this point and anybody who knew her knew that she was never the strongest willed person. But you would never have known by the way she was talking now. "Naruto-kun and Shino-kun are right. We should continue on with the mission and bring and end to problems of the Wave country, doing so will bring the respect and admiration of the Wave country to Konoha and that will only benefit Konoha." Said Hinata.

Naruto had to force himself to keep a straight face and not laugh out loud as he looked at Kakashi and Kurenai. He had them exactly where he wanted them. He had won over Shino who was always one of the straight thinkers of the team and he always had Hinata on his side. And while the rest had not said anything he could tell that Kiba and Sasuke were practically ready to go along with it. Sasuke would refuse to look weak and so he would go along with the mission and Kiba would refuse to abandon Shino and Hinata even if he did disagree with them.

It was time to deal the Final blow. For the first time in the conversation Naruto lost his temper and yelled and the jonin and his teammates or at least he appeared to loose his temper. "TO HELL WTH THE RULES. Rules are all good and well but there are times and places for them and right now is not one of those times. You have to know when to ignore the rules and follow your heart. I refuse to abandon this mission. I don't care if I have to kick all your asses and continue on by myself, I will finish this mission, I will see the Wave country freed from this tyrant and I will do it with or without your help. A ninja that disregards the rule may be a bad ninja but a ninja that disregards his friends, or his heart is scum." And with that Naruto turned quickly on his heal and headed for his tent leaving the whole of team 7 staring in shock at his retreating form.

Everybody was stunned and shocked at the way Naruto had just acted and how he had just walked away from a team meeting like it was nothing. Hinata winced at the sound of Naruto's voice as he had yelled out his reply but immediately calmed when Naruto turned to walk away. She had seen it, for one brief moment while he passed her he had looked into her eyes and she had knew then that it was all an act. He had done that to push them over the edge and was leaving it to her now to ensure that it was a success. She forced herself to keep a grave look on her face as Naruto passed and when he was out of sight she spoke up.

"I believe in Naruto-kun and I will follow him in this mission. I say we continue with the mission but if you decide against it senseis then I will continue on with Naruto-kun. I will not let him go into this by himself. He is a friend and a teammate and like he said, those who abandon their friends are less then scum." With that Hinata sat down quickly and waited to hear what her team would decide.

Kakashi couldn't believe it, Naruto had used his beliefs against him and he didn't even know that they were his beliefs. He had learned his lesson once the hard way that sometimes rules were meant to be broken, now he was forced to make the choice again and he wasn't sure what to do. It was the first time in a long time that he was unsure of what decision to make. However it seemed that Kurenai was not in the same position as he was. She seemed to know exactly what to do.

Kurenai stepped forward from the tree where she had been leaning and spoke with a serious tone in her voice. She had made her decision already but if they were going to continue this mission then everybody had to agree. It was all or nothing. "Well I think it's time to bring this to a close. Regardless of the decision we all need some sleep so we have a vote. If we are to continue with this mission then all of you must agree or we will return to Konoha." Said Kurenai

She briefly stared around the camp fire and then looked at her fellow jonin leader to get his view on the situation. Kakashi glanced at Kurenai and nodded his assent to idea of a vote. It was the only way they could continue. If it was going to be this dangerous then they all needed to agree. Even then he was not quite sure it was a good idea to continue with the mission but he figured if they were set on it that they would follow Naruto anyways so it was better to go along with them and have some control over the situation.

Kakashi stood. "Alright well it seems that it's going to come to a vote. Do we continue or do we turn back. Let's hear it." Said Kakashi as he looked around with a serious look on his face. He had to stop himself from smiling to deeply as he looked into the eyes of his students. With the exception of Sakura all he saw was determination. He knew what their answers would be before they even spoke. Shino and Hinata both agreed almost instantly. Kiba looked briefly at his friends before sighing deeply and going along with Shino and Hinata. Sasuke looked at Kakashi with a blank expression on his face and then smirked slightly as he said "If the dobe is ready to take on this mission then I am too."

And with that it was finished. Everybody turned towards Sakura who upon hearing Sasuke's words had gone rigid. When Kakashi asked her for her decision she had waited for a moment before stating softly that she too wished to continue the mission. In truth Sakura wished for anything BUT continuing the mission but she knew that if she said no then they would return to Konoha and regardless of what happened next Sasuke would always think of her as weak and so she had steeled herself and agreed to the mission as boldly as she could.

Kurenai broke into a huge grin as she looked at her team while Kakashi hid his pride much better. Both were proud of their team. They would be great ninja one day and they were making a great start at that now. Despite being outclassed in this mission they were willing to push themselves to their limits and risk their very lives for their beliefs and their teammates. Ask much as Kakashi thought this was a bad idea he had to agree that if they survived this mission it would bring the team together like nothing else could.

Kurenai was the first to speak up. "Alright then, it's settled, we will inform the client of our decision and continue on in the morning. For now you should all get some sleep. You all know the watches. I and Kakashi will take first watch." Said Kurenai. She began to walk away and then paused as if she wanted to say something else. She stood for a moment before turning back around and speaking once again with a small smile on her face.

"Starting tomorrow you will all be training 5 hours a day. You will train 2 hours each morning after breakfast. Then we will travel. When we stop for lunch you will eat quickly and then train for another hour. And when we stop for the night you will train for another 2 hours after dinner. Every little bit will help in this mission. It already appears that Naruto and Hinata have excelled in their own training regiment before this mission started so they will be training you. If you need any help we will be available but mostly we will watch the client while you all train." Said Kurenai as she turned around again and left for the edge of camp to begin her watch.

* * *

Naruto sat in his tent waiting for the conversation to end. He wasn't sure what they would choose but he was sure that he had won over several of them. It was out of his hands now and so he sat, waiting for Hinata to come to their tent and tell him about what had been decided. He had been serious; if they refused to continue then he would go on alone no matter what it took. The leaf would need the support, he wasn't sure exactly how that would work if he had to disobey his teachers, it could cause more problems then it was worth but he had said he would go and he NEVER went back on his words. That was his way of the ninja. 

Naruto looked up from his thoughts as he felt a brief rush of wind entering the tent with the scent of lavender carried along with it. He looked to the door and saw Hinata stepping through the flap and zipping it up behind her. His heart skipped a beat as he looked her over. Even at this age she had been beautiful. He couldn't understand how he had missed her obvious affections for him as a kid. She was so strong, so full of passion and life. He felt so incredibly fortunate to have her in his life and to have finally accepted her love and support.

He was so engrossed in his thoughts about Hinata and the life they would have in the future that he didn't hear her calling him, nor did he notice her walk towards him. It was for that reason that he nearly had a heart attack and practically jumped out of his skin when she placed her hand softly on his cheek. Hinata was so surprised by Naruto's act of shock that she quickly pulled her hand back as if she had touched something hot.

Hinata looked at her love with concern in her eyes. What was he thinking about that had him so tied up that he had missed her approach completely, enough to cause him to jump at her mere touch? Naruto noticed the look of concern in her eyes and quickly grabbed her hand, pulling gently to cause her to tumble forward into his lap. He smiled brightly as she blushed deeply. "Hello Hina-chan, How did things go with the team meeting." Asked Naruto as he absent mindedly began playing with her hair as if he was entranced by it.

Hinata sighed contently as she felt his hands run through her hair. She leaned back into his shoulder placing her head in the nook that she had claimed as her own and recounted the rest of the meeting after he had left. Naruto smiled as Hinata cuddled up to him and then listened patiently as she spoke, slight shivers going through him every once and a while as a stray breath of warm air would hit his neck. Hinata finished her tale and smiled slightly, she had noticed Naruto's reaction to her breathing on his neck. It made her feel good to know that she could do something to get his attention.

Naruto smiled brightly as Hinata finished recounting the meeting. "So then were continuing on with the mission and were going to be training the rest of the team 5 hours a day to get them ready for what's to come. Well it will be nearly a week before we reach what should be our next encounter. They should be able to improve a fair bit in a week. And between you and me we should be able to balance things out when the battle comes." Said Naruto. He chuckled to himself and then said. "The best thing is they didn't really bring up my transformation, I may not have to tell Sasuke and Sakura yet after all and I can still keep my past a secret or should I say the future."

Hinata lowered her head slightly and then sighed. "I'm sorry Naruto-kun but I do not think that is the case. Sasuke and Sakura are very suspicious about your actions and Sakura is even scared. I think they need to be told. Even if they didn't bring it up they need to know. It will be on their minds otherwise and we must all be thinking of the mission and nothing else when the time comes for battle or it could cost us our lives." Said Hinata as she looked up into Naruto's eyes with love and compassion in her eyes. She knew how hard it was to tell people about his secret.

"I will be there for you Naruto-kun. Everything will be fine. I promise." Finished Hinata. Naruto let out his breath and wrapped his arms around Hinata's waste. "Your right of course. At the very least I must tell them about the Kyuubi. I only hope that they react well. The last thing we need is for them to be scared out of their minds and hate me as we go into a battle. It would only cause problems." Replied Naruto.

Hinata smiled a looked up from Naruto's neck into his eyes as he looked down at her. "I believe they will take it fine Naruto-kun. Sasuke is strong and Hinata has a good mind. I'm sure they will understand." Said Hinata. And then she was silent for a moment before continuing. "Naruto-kun…"

"Yes Hinata…" said Naruto as he looked into her deep lavender eyes. Hinata blushed at how closely Naruto was looking at her. It felt like he could see into her very soul with those eyes. He seemed to be drinking her in and he made her blush even deeper as she thought about what he might be thinking when he looked at her. She shook her head briefly. "I think we should tell our team, at least our fellow genin about what is to come. As a team we will be better equipped to change things. I won't do it if you don't want to but I truly believe that the others would be valuable assets in our upcoming battles. You said yourself that we need all the allies we can get. Is there a reason you don't think we should tell them?" asked Hinata slowly. It had taken all her courage to question Naruto's decision and as she stared at him she was beginning to worry that perhaps she had gone too far.

Naruto listened carefully to Hinata's words and he knew she had the truth of it. He was avoiding it because he was afraid. He didn't know how to tell her that he was afraid that his actions would lead to the death of his precious people and the loose of his home village. That was the real reason behind it. He knew that their chances would be better of winning if he could bring his team onto his side. She was right and he would have to tell them and get their support. After that he would need to recruit the remaining 3 members of the rookie nine. He would need to wait for Neji, Lee, and Tenten. His battle with Neji was a turning point in his friend's life; he had to make sure that took place again. It was one of the things that made him the ally he ended up being.

Hinata was about to apologize for her words when Naruto kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Thank you Hina-chan. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have your support. You always seem to be able to see to the heart of a problem and find a way to fix it. I was afraid to tell anybody about what's coming and that's why I have been holding back but you just made me realize that if I keep it to myself then I'm more likely to screw it up. We can't do this by ourselves. But I can't tell them right now, it's not the right time. When we get to Wave country and are settled in we will have a few weeks there. That's when I will tell them. That's when we will tell them." said Naruto.

Hinata smiled as Naruto lay back on his sleeping bag and closed his eyes. She quietly lay down next to him and wrapped her arm around his chest, leaning her head into his shoulder again. She closed her eyes and whispered gently to Naruto. "Good night my Naruto-kun. Sweet dreams". Moments later she was asleep with a look of contentment on her face.

* * *

Hinata was awoke a few hours later with a jerk as she felt Naruto begin to twitch in his sleep. She looked briefly up as his face and frowned. Naruto's face was contorted in an expression of pain and fear, silent tears were running down his cheek and he was beginning to shake gently. Hinata tried to wake him but he wouldn't wake. She shook him gently and said his name but he still slept. He was obviously having a terrible nightmare and she wanted so badly to help him. 

Just then she heard a small whimper escape her loves lips, and then less then a minute later it happened again, and then again. Hinata quickly wrapped her arms around Naruto and pulled herself close to him, she pushed his head to her chest and began to make small shushing sounds to the sleeping blond, and she gently ran her fingers through his hair and massaged his scalp.

Naruto began to calm slightly at the sound of Hinata's voice but he was still whimpering. Hinata began to hum softly in Naruto's ear and began planting small butterfly kissed all along the boy's neck and face. Naruto calmed down as he felt Hinata's breath and kissed on his skin, his face changed from one of pain to one of peace and comfort. He sighed contently and cuddled up closer to Hinata as if she was his own personal pillow.

Hinata smiled and let herself be taken by sleep again. She snuggled into Naruto as he snuggled into her and within moments she drifted to sleep with a single thought on her mind. _He's so warm and soft, god I love him.

* * *

_

Naruto woke early the next morning preparing to start the watch. He had been having those nightmares last night again. The ones where he relived the death of his friends and village again only this time it was the second time around, he had failed in his task and as a result he had lost everything. It was just getting to the part where his friends would start to die when suddenly it all had stopped. He had suddenly felt so warm. So safe. He wasn't sure what it was but he felt so good.

Now he was awake and the first thing he noticed was the position he was in. His head was resting on Hinata's chest, her arms wrapped protectively around his back with one hand holding his head tightly against her. There legs were entwined with each others and his arms were wrapped around her. If anybody had been able to see Naruto at that moment they would have thought that Hinata was starting to rub off on him, because at that exact moment his face looked like somebody had jumped a bucket of blood red paint over him. He was blushing furiously.

Hinata awoke as she felt Naruto stir. She looked down to see him blushing brightly and was confused for a moment until she realized how they were lying together. She quickly untangled herself from him and relaxed her hold on the love of her life. But despite her embarrassment she did not remove her hand from his head, nor did she move away. Instead she sighed contently and rubber her cheek against his.

"Good morning Naruto-kun, did you sleep well" she purred. Naruto startled at the love and the sensuality in her voice. It was so obvious that she loved him. He smiled and decided to relax for a few more minutes. They had about 30 minutes before their watch began. He liked the idea of just lying like this with Hinata. He felt so happy right now. "I slept wonderfully Hina-chan. I had a nightmare to start but then I heard your voice and it all just drifted away." said Naruto as he closed his eyes again, just enjoying the feel of Hinata wrapped around him.

The time seemed to fly by and before they knew it, it was time to start their watch. They quickly and quietly got up and got dressed, each letting the other change in private much to Hinata's disappointment. When they were finished they went to their watch and relieved Sasuke and Sakura who quickly went to bed to get some more sleep. The watch was uneventful and mostly they talked about the training they were going to do with their team over the next several weeks. They both agreed that in addition to their 5 hours of team training each day that they would do another 2 hours of training at night after everybody had gone to bed to ensure that they were ready. Naruto secretly believe that it would not take long before the rest of their team joined them in this training.

* * *

Naruto and Hinata walked to the fire and sat down to eat a quick breakfast before they set out with their team to continue for Wave country. Now that they had decided to continue the mission they were going to start training everyday to prepare themselves. Naruto had decided to teach them some defensive techniques over the next week. It wasn't long enough to teach them a wealth of techniques but he could teach them a few defensive techniques that would come in handy in the coming battles with Zabuza and Haku. 

He and Hinata had decided that once they got to Wave country and they were free to relax that they would train the rest of their team rigorously for most of the day each day. During that time they would improve their attacks. When they returned back to Konoha they would have about 6 months to prepare for the chuunin exam. During that time they would train everyday. If all went well the 5 of his teammates would be close to jonin level in skill by the time the exam came. That is all except for Hinata who would likely be nearly Anbu level by that time. She was progressing so quickly through her training that she was already easily chuunin level.

They quickly finished breakfast and left to begin their training. They would train with the rest of their team while Kakashi and Kurenai took down the camp and watched over the client. Shino and Kiba quickly fell into step beside Naruto and Hinata as they walked into the forest. "So what are you going to teach us oh fearless leader" mocked Kiba as they continued to walk. Sasuke and Sakura followed close behind them as Naruto replied. "Well work on defensive moves at breakfast and lunch and then we will work on a single attack jutsu in the evening. If were lucky you can all get the hang of the moves by the time we reach Wave country." Said Naruto.

Sasuke smirked at this. "And when are you two going to train?" asked Sasuke as he continued to smirk. He knew Naruto and Hinata enough to know that they would train more then the rest of them. Or at least they would intend to. Naruto laughed. He should have known that Sasuke would catch on. "When the rest of you finish your evening training me and Hinata will continue training for another 2 hours each night." Said Naruto as he came to a stop in a spot he figured was as good as any to do their training. Shino was the first to accept the idea. "Then I shall join you." said Shino in his normal monotone voice. The statement was quickly seconded by Kiba followed closely by Sasuke and eventually by Sakura. Hinata smiled to herself. This would give them extra time to focus on attacks and it would prepare them further for what was to come.

Naruto turned around and faced his teammates. Sasuke and Sakura still had not approached him about his increased power and skills during their battle. He thought for sure they would have brought it up. He was just starting to think that Hinata was right, that he should just come out and tell him when Sasuke beat him to the punch.

"So dobe, are you going to explain yourself or am I going to have to beat it out of you?" asked Sasuke with a smirk on his face. Naruto eyes went wide at the statement and then he started to laugh. "Oh that's funny, just hilarious, you… BEAT ME… I'm sorry Sasuke did I drop you on your head to hard in our last fight or something? I seem to remember tossing you around like a rag doll without so much as breaking a sweat." Said Naruto as he fell to one knee trying to catch his breath from laughing so hard.

Needless to say Sasuke was less then impressed with Naruto's words and his obvious mocking of his skills but he was not going to let the bastard walk away like nothing happened. He wanted to know what the hell was going on with that weird red chakra. What really pissed him off though was that he was almost positive that everybody knew except him and Sakura. Just the way they acted around him, and how they would stop talking or quickly change the subject when either of them would approach. It really rubbed him the wrong way and he was going to get to the bottom of it.

"Spit it out you bastard. I'm sick of your bullshit. What the hell was up with you in that fight. You turned that one chuunin into mince meat, you survived a shit load of explosive tags blowing up in your face and then your wounds healed like it was nothing. You were covered in that strange red chakra and seemed to have limitless power. What the fuck is going on?" yelled Sasuke in a rare show of emotion.

Naruto chuckled to himself. It was not often that Sasuke let his emotions get the better of him. Truth be told, if he had just kept his mouth shut he would know by now but it was just to much fun torturing him like this. But it was time to bring that to an end. This was not the time to be playing games. They needed all the training time they could get and this little argument was wasting some of that time.

"Ok Sasuke… you want to know what the big secret is? well I'll tell you although your not likely to like the answer you get." Said Naruto as his face suddenly became deadly serious. Sasuke couldn't help but take a step back at that instant. Naruto had been screwing around and then suddenly he became totally serious. The look in his eyes was enough to make his skin crawl and for the second time in his life he felt fear. An emotion that he had swore he would never feel again. He swallowed the lump that was growing in his throat and said with as much force as he could. "Alright, get on with it."

Naruto leaned lazily up against a tree and began to recount his life story. It took nearly 20 minutes to go through everything and when he was done turned away and looked at the rest of his team, the ones he knew already accepted him and acted as if nothing had happened. "Well lets get training. We don't have all day." And so Naruto was about to speak about his plans for there training when something happened that he had not expected. At least not at this point.

By the time Naruto had finished Sakura had tears in her eyes. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. It wasn't that she didn't believe Naruto, no quite the opposite. She knew it was true; it made perfect sense now that she thought back. Everything fell into place. The way the village hated him, they way he was shunned and always alone, the way he always acted and the pranks he pulled but most of all the way he had changed yesterday. It all made sense and suddenly she burst into tears as she realized how badly she had treated him all these years. As she realized how much he had to deal with his whole life.

Sasuke was a different matter. He felt for Naruto although he did not show it. But more then that he suddenly felt a strong connection to him. They were both the last of their family. They both had suffered endlessly through their lives. Although Sasuke had to admit that his life had been nothing compared to what Naruto would have gone through. He felt a new respect for the blond. He had gone through hell during his life but had fought on and he had become powerful. More powerful then he was. He was brought out of his thoughts as he heard Sakura burst into tears and fall to the ground beside him.

Sakura fell to the ground crying hysterically as she tried to talk. "Na-Naruto… Oh Naruto… How co-could they t-t-treat you like that. How could I have treated you like that? I'm so sorry. How could I ever expect you to forgive me? I have been so horrible to you all these years and the whole time you were saving us. You are the first ninja to ever give every breath of his entire life in the protection of his village and we all shunned you. I-I-I" Sakura couldn't finish her sentence. She just cried harder as the guilt washed over her in waves.

Naruto had not been expecting this. He had expected them to either run in fear or to simply accept it like the others had. But he had not expected this at all. He stepped forward quickly and bent down before his teammate. He gently whipped away her tears and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sakura-chan… I don't blame you and I don't hate you for what you and the rest of the village have done over the years. So don't beat yourself up like this. This is my fate and I accepted it many years ago. The fact that you feel bad about it at all shows me that you care. That's enough for me." He said as he stood and pulled Sakura to her feet.

"Well now that, that's out in the open it's time that we start our training. Since you have all agreed to train with me and Hinata for the extra 2 hours each night we will be spending our morning and noon training sessions to work on several barrier techniques that I know of which could save your lives in a pinch. In the evening we will work on one attack jutsu. They will likely take you a while to master and since we do not know when we may face another battle like the one we were in yesterday I think it's best that we focus on one jutsu so that if you need it you will hopefully be skilled enough to in that one jutsu to use it. However I intend to teach each of you a different attack jutsu that will compliment the others. If we can work together as a team as we did in the bell test that Kakashi gave us then these techniques will aid us greatly in our fights." Said Naruto

* * *

Shino arched an eyebrow slightly as Naruto finished his little pep talk about why he was going to be teaching them what he wanted to teach. Despite all that Naruto had told him so far about the Kyuubi and the source of his strength there were still some things that were not adding up. Of all his teammates he was pretty sure that he was the only one that realized it so far. Or rather the only one that realized it and didn't know the whole truth. Shino was a very observant person and he was anything but stupid or blind. 

He was almost positive that Hinata knew far more then she let on and that Naruto had confided in her about all of his secrets. Shino had to admit that he was beyond a little bit worried at this point. He could not think of any logical reason for Naruto to hold back further information after telling them about something as big as having the Kyuubi sealed inside him unless it was something horrible, something that was far worse then even the Kyuubi. That thought was what scared him.

There were still so many things that didn't add up but it would not do any could to bring up his concerns right now. They had mentioned something about another secret during their first conversation, Naruto had said he would tell them later. It was obvious that he wanted to tell them but something was holding him back, some fear. Shino's bugs were always quite nervous around Naruto, they could smell the anxiety coming off of him. He resolved to himself that he would question Naruto about this further once they reached the village and had a moment to get him alone.

Shino was brought out of his thoughts as he realized that Naruto was beginning to discuss the defensive techniques he wanted to teach his team. Once again he found himself surprised at the blonds skill. He wanted to teach them C and B rank techniques. The fact that he could use them at all was impressive enough, but to know them well enough to be able to teach them… that was astounding.

* * *

Naruto looked at his students. He had to laugh at that, he had never imagined himself as much of a teacher, but then again he had been teaching Hinata techniques for well over a month now and she had been excelling well. He figured it was just one more thing that he seemed to have a natural affinity towards. "Ok, so the first technique I think we should learn is an Earth Wall. It's one of two techniques I want to teach you for defense. The second is a prison technique which will allow you to encase your opponent in ice allowing you time to escape or prepare yourself for another attack." Said Naruto 

"The first technique is Earth Release: Earth Style Wall. The basics are fairly straight forward. After molding your chakra properly you will be able to mold the earth to your will, allow you to create a wall of dirt. While the wall is forming you push your chakra into it which hardens the wall making it more difficult for your opponent to break it. you all saw me use this before. It is a double edged sword. Its very strong but when it breaks you had better not be standing behind it because it can do just as much damage if not more then the attack which broke it."

Naruto paused for a moment while he looked around at his teammates. Hinata of course was fine, she already knew all the techniques that he was going to show them although Naruto had decided he would show her a more powerful attack jutsu in the evenings just so she would be better prepared. The rest of his team however were looking at him like he was nuts. He knew they could do it, even if they didn't think so. He was going to make sure that when Zabuza showed up he would not be facing any normal genin. They would have at least some chuunin level skills to meet him with.

Sakura was the first to speak her objections. She wasn't sure who he thought he was talking to but she was fairly sure she was not skilled enough to use this level of technique. "Are you crazy Naruto? There's no way in hell we can use that technique right now. Were only genin. That's a high level chuunin technique your talking about. I've seen chuunin's use it before. It takes a lot of chakra too." Yelled Sakura with a frown on her face.

Naruto laughed. "What happened to the overly confident pink haired girl I knew all those years in the academy. I wouldn't be suggesting this if I didn't know you could use it. I can use it, and so can Hinata. I taught it to her just fine. As far as chakra goes, yeah it uses a fair bit but what the better choice, getting killed by an attack you can't stop or using a chunk of your chakra to block it. This is a defensive technique. Use it as one of your last resorts. It's meant to buy you time and nothing more." Said Naruto with a smirk

Everybody stared in surprise at Hinata at the mention of her knowing the technique and being able to use it. Naruto was one thing, the Demon fox gave him incredible power and so it was understandable that he would be able to do it but if Hinata could do it too then they must be able to do it too. Sasuke smiled to himself, he was going to learn a couple new jutsus that would help him towards his ultimate goal of killing his brother. He need only stick with Naruto and he would learn all he needed to. The blond seemed to be like a walking encyclopedia of jutsus.

Naruto smiled as he realized he had just put an end to their little rebellion. Knowing that Hinata could do the jutsu made them think it was at least possible. That was all he needed. Naruto and Hinata began working with their teammates to teach them the jutsu. They had discussed their plans for training the night before and determined that the best way to ensure that they learned the skills quickly was for Hinata to use her Byakugan to help them learn to mold and use the chakra properly for the jutsu which would help them avoid most of the trial and error. At least that's how they would work on the defensive techniques. When it came time to work on the attack jutsus then Naruto would use his Kage Bushin technique to teach all 5 of them at once in their individual techniques. Even then Hinata would help with her Byakugan since he intended to teach her an extension of one of the techniques he had already taught her which would be much easier to learn then what the others would be learning.

For the next hour and a half team 7 worked on learning the seals and molding the chakra. Not one of them was able to get it perfect however Shino and Sakura seemed to have come close. Naruto figured based on what Hinata was telling him about their progress that Shino and Sakura would have the Seals and molding down solid by the end of the day probably. Sasuke would probably need until the end of tomorrows sessions and Kiba, well Kiba was going to need a little help but with Sakura and Shino finished they would be able to help speed him along hopefully so that with a little extra attention he would be ready to move to the next step by the time Sasuke was ready.

That was promising with only 3 hours of training a day. There were three aspects of the jutsu that needed to be worked on and the first was the correct forming of the seals and molding of the chakra. The second was the flow of the chakra. Of course with the amount of chakra that they needed to use in order to be able to make the jutsu work they were each only going to be able to use it about a half dozen times before they would be exhausted so Naruto and Hinata would have to make sure they didn't attempt to create it until Hinata was sure that they were ready.

The final step would be the manipulation of the jutsu to control the shape and size of the barrier that they were creating. The larger the barrier the more chakra it would use. If they made it to big they would drain themselves and not be able to get away, but if they made it to small it would be weak and unable to hold up to any attack that would have warranted using it in the first place. This final step unfortunately would need to be based on actual trial and error. They would have to try to make the walls and that was what was going to take time.

In all reality from a training point of view the last two steps went hand in hand. With time constraints they would just have to work on both at the same time and try to get it right. Naruto figured that with Hinata helping they would be able to get them to an acceptable level by the end of the forth day. At that point they would start work on the Ice Prison. Luckily the ice prison would build off of the Earth wall and they would likely be able to get through it faster.

All in all Naruto figured it would take them the whole week to complete both techniques. If they were lucky they would be able to pull off the ice prison with some level of success. When the time came to use it.

* * *

With the morning training session a huge success in Naruto's mind the rest of the day was looking up. When they had returned to camp, four of them sweating like pigs while Hinata and Naruto seemed to be fine Kakashi had looked at them with one wide eye and asked them what the heck they had been doing. Naruto had spoke up quickly, not wanting to reveal the truth to his sensei's yet and just casually mentioned that they were learning a new technique from himself and Hinata and left it at that. 

They had shouldered their packs and started out on the road again like they had everyday since they left Konoha. Naruto smiled to himself as he thought about how well things were going. Sure he still had a lot of concerns such as how the hell he was going to bring Zabuza and Haku over to their side and how they were going to stop the invasion at the chuunin exam but for the time being he was glad to see his team was progressing so well. Having the 5 of them on his side for his mission and with skills far outweighing what they would have had previously would make things at least somewhat more manageable. Or at least he hoped it would.

They stopped around 1pm for lunch and then a quick one hour training session before heading back out on the road. Like Naruto had thought, both Sakura and Shino were able to complete the seals perfectly by the end of the lunch training session and were even able to start helping Kiba with his. Naruto admitted to himself that it looked like he had been right on the money with his estimates and his other two teammates would be ready to begin the actual use of the jutsu or rather the practice of it by the even of the following day.

* * *

By the time the evening rolled around Naruto was more then ready for the combat training. As good as he was at teaching the defensive techniques it seemed, he hated how boring it was just sitting and watching. The combat training would be different. The first 2 hours each night would be spent working on a jutsu with the last 2 hours spent sparing to practice their Taijutsu. As odd as it sounded he had been looking forward to sparing with Hinata all day. She was actually able to give him a challenge when he used chuunin level skills and limited his speed which was impressive because even with limited skills and speed he had vast amount of experience over her. 

That challenge is something that he craved right now. But more then that he just enjoyed being with her. They seemed to go to their own little world when they spared. Everything else just disappeared and all that remained was the two of them and their actions. It was a wonderful feeling to have. As much as he loved to win at everything he did he actually didn't mind loosing to her, every time she would land a blow or block one of his attacks he felt like running up and giving her a big huge for a job well done. Of course he controlled himself and made sure he didn't do that, instead he just congratulated her and got back into his fighting stance to prepare for another round.

Naruto looked out over his would be students and put his thoughts in order to begin their training for the night. They had 4 hours ahead of them and he was going to make use of every minute of it. "Well lets get started shall we. First lets talk about the techniques that I'm going to teach you and how they are going to work together." Said Naruto as he smiled brightly.

"Sasuke I'm going to teach you a fire technique since you're so used to them anyways. It's called Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Missile. This technique is far superior to any of your previous flame techniques that you've learned because you control its movements. In other words it's not stuck in a static path. However the downside is that this bitch just eats up your chakra the more you control it. In order to maintain its movements you have to continue blowing fire into its tail which allows you to control it with your chakra. Obviously continually pumping your chakra into an attack of this level is draining." Said Naruto as he continued to smile.

"Sakura I'm going to teach you a healing technique called Mystical Palm Technique. Now I'm going to start by teaching you the first half of this technique as I don't know enough about it to teach you the second half. The first half allows you to heal wounds and perform surgery. Of course I do not know enough to teach you how to use it to perform surgery but I can teach you how to use it to heal cuts and other types of surface wounds. I know this is supposed to be combat training but frankly you're better suited as a medic nin with your incredible chakra control. That doesn't mean you can't fight but in the short time we have to train and the likelihood that we will need a medic on this mission, it's best that you learn this." Said Naruto as he turned to Hinata.

"Hinata, I'm going to teach you a wind jutsu called Blade of Wind. With your close range attack style it will suit you perfectly. This jutsu will allow you to create a sword out of tightly compacted, and highly volatile winds that are rotating at a ridiculous rate. Nothing can break it since it's not a solid object but it can break practically anything. It's hard to control and requires a lot of chakra control and it eats up your chakra pretty fast as well but if you find yourself in a position where you can't seem to land a blow with your gentle fist technique, you should be able to slice and dice the little bastards as an alternative."

Next Naruto turned to Kiba. "Kiba, I'm going to teach you a Wind technique called Decapitating Winds. It's the weaker version of the move you saw Hinata use on me in our sparring match a while back. You know the one I got my ass kicked in. It doesn't use a lot of chakra so it should be great for you but it's hard to control and it takes out anything in it's path so make damn sure one of your teammates isn't in the way when you use it. once you have mastered this I might teach you the more impressive version of this technique." Said Naruto as he laughed at the look on Kiba's face.

Finally Naruto turned to Shino. "Shino to be honest I wasn't sure what technique to teach you. You seem to prefer long range attacks so what I finally decided on was a long range earth attack jutsu. The jutsus called Earth Release: Split Earth. Essentially your able to control the earth to cause it to break apart and ultimately burying your enemy alive or crushing them to death. Like a lot of the other techniques I mentioned this one requires a fair bit of chakra to use and its hard to control." And with that Naruto finished his introductions.

Naruto took a moment to catch his breath and look around at his teammates as they took in his words. He was pleased to see that they looked eager at least to learn what he had to teach them which were a good thing. The techniques he was going to teach them would work wonders for them as a team as long as they worked together. And ultimately if he was able to teach them the chakra transfer jutsu that he had taught Hinata before they left the village then they would be able to use those jutsus along with any others he taught them without having to worry about chakra. Granted he didn't have limitless amount of chakra but he had close enough. In some of the more serious battle that would likely come in the future it could be the difference between life and death for his teammates.

Naruto quickly raced through some very familiar hand seals before using his trademark jutsu. In moments there were 5 Kage Bushin surrounding the original. Naruto smiled at the surprised look on his teammates faces as they tried to figure out what he was doing. "So since I can't exactly teach you all your techniques at the same time by myself I'm going to use my clones to help. Each has all the knowledge that I do and all the skill. They will work with you while I work with Hinata and at the same time Hinata will take some time with each of you while I train her to help you with the seals and chakra molding by watching with her Byakugan."

Naruto quickly instructed his clones on what each was to do before facing back to his teammates. He looked at each of them for a short moment and then nodded in approval. "Well lets get this show on the road." And with that they began to break off into pairs to practice their training. Each pair with one member of Team 7 and one clone. Naruto smirked briefly before turning to Hinata. "Shall we?" asked Naruto as he extended his hand while bowing slightly. Hinata giggled softly. "lets go Naruto-kun" and with that they walked a little ways from the rest of the group so they could practice her jutsu.


	9. Another Step Forward

**Author Notes:**

Ok everybody let me start my notes for this chapter with acknowledging one of my readers. I found his optimism to be quite refreshing and its comments and praise like this that certainly make me want to continue writing even when I'm busy as hell. So anyways the following review was from 'Human Kitsune Hero':

_**MUST...GET...MAKERS...OF...NARUTO...TO...MAKE...THIS...INTO...A...MOVIE...NOW!  
That is how great this story is. Man I want this to be a Naruto movie so dam bad.  
ps. when you make the next chap. can you post this up to show the other readers i said this because I bet some of them must think the same thing. And I want to see how many will say they agree with me. You just rock hard as rock core!**_

So anyways as much as I doubt the above will ever happen I do find myself suddenly curious as to how many of you all agree with him. so be sure to give me your answers in your reviews when you review this chapter.

Ok so now onto other more stressing matters. I realize that I have fallen behind on my updates and I hope that my readers can forgive me for this. This holiday season has been hell on earth for me. I can not remember the last time that I found myself this busy with work. Anyways that's just one of the trade offs of running your own business. When everybody else can take it easy you got to work your butt off. Anyways I am hoping that things will quite down a bit over the next month and in the mean time I am going to try my best to update once a week. Once things cool off then I will be back to my abnormally fast update times of once every day or two.

Oh speaking of updates. For those of you who are interested in I am starting a second Fan fiction. This one is for the series Bleach. I have had an idea in mind for quite some time now and it's driving me up the wall. If I don't start writing it down I swear I am going to go nuts.

No worries, It will not cause me to abandon this fiction and I will just alternate updates between the two causing each to get an update every 2 – 3 days hopefully.

Well happy reading and make sure you REVIEW!!!

* * *

**Second Chances**

Chapter Nine: Another Step forward

By Cybergades

* * *

Naruto was lost deep in his own thoughts as he lay on the ground, resting against a tree. They had just finished their first evening training session less then an hour ago and he had decided to stay behind to try and organize his thoughts and think out his next move. Time seemed to be against him in everything he was trying to do. Naruto found himself wondering yet again if he would truly be able to stop the disasters that awaited his village and friends in the not so distant future.

Hinata rested beside him, laying her head against his shoulder as they stared up into the stars. She had grown rather close to Naruto over the past month or so and while part of her wanted to be closer still she understood his reasoning behind taking it slow. It was a well known fact that women matured quicker then men and while Hinata was just coming into puberty Naruto still had another year or two before he experienced the same thing. It would just not be appropriate for them to be anything more then good friends at this point. That did not however dim her spirits in any way. She knew from talking with Naruto that his feelings for her were strong and that when the time came that they were both a little older that their relationship would grow as well. it was all just a matter of time now verses a matter of chance.

Hinata imagined that this must be much harder on Naruto then he let on and even harder then it was on her. He had 10 years of pent up feelings for her and he genuinely seemed to want to be with her but he also wanted to follow the social rules that were present in Konoha and the rest of the world. Despite his desires he was committed to waiting until they were a little older before engaging in any type of more intimate relationship. Hinata was still very happy despite all of these thoughts. Even if their relationship was not intimate in nature, Naruto was still her boyfriend and she was his girlfriend. She had been waiting half her life for this and the last month had been the happiest days of her life.

Hinata looked over at Naruto quickly for about the 9th time in the past hour. She had been stealing glances at her hearts desire constantly since the beginning of their training session tonight. She would smile and blush brightly whenever her lavender eyes met his ocean blue. Hinata had noticed that he had been getting more and more anxious throughout the day and wondered what was bothering him. They had done amazing in their training of their teammates. The results were beyond what they had hoped for. Something was on his mind and once again she found herself wondering what troubles he still hid from her.

Hinata stole one last glance and decided it was time she talk to him and try and bring him out of his shell. "So things went well today didn't they Naruto-kun?" asked Hinata as she stared at her love. Naruto looked towards Hinata and smiled weakly making it obvious that he was not fully paying attention to her. He was still lost in his thoughts. "Yes they made good progress. Although this was the easy part. The next day or two will tell if they are going to be able to complete the techniques in time to be useful to us in the upcoming battles and not just a hindrance." Said Naruto as he looked back towards the stars.

Hinata frowned as he turned away from her. He was hiding his thoughts and she hated it when he did that. "What do you think of their individual progress?" asked Hinata as if she had not heard him mention their progress in that area. Naruto turned back towards Hinata and smiled brightly. He could tell what she was trying to do. She knew him to well to miss the way he was staring off into space as if something was bothering him. He just hoped she would leave it alone. He wasn't really interested in talking about it right now.

"Well Sasuke made a lot of progress with the Fire Dragon technique that I was showing him. His family background in flame jutsus has made it a lot easier for him then I had thought. He pretty much has the seals down solid and he seems to almost have the chakra molding figured out as well. I imagine he will be testing it out in a day or so. Although the real challenge will come with him trying to control it. That is when the hard part comes in and none of his previous jutsus have had that type of control property to it. Still I am hopeful that he will have a pretty strong handle on it by the end of the week." Said Naruto. He looked at Hinata and realizing she was not going to let him off the hock he figured he would continue. It was better then talking about what was troubling him.

"Your progress was the best of everybody's. Obviously since we have been training for so long, you have gotten used to my style and are able to pick things up a lot easier. That and your really smart of course." Says Naruto trying to earn some brownie points. "You already have a strong handle on how to rotate the wind at high speeds and your ability to mold your chakra to force the wind to contract tightly so that it becomes similar to a blade has come along nicely today. I'd say you'll have the jutsu down by the end of the week if not sooner." Naruto took a deep breath before continuing.

"Sakura seemed to be having a little trouble with the healing jutsu I was teaching her early on in our session but by the end she had pretty much gotten over the hurdle that was holding her back. Her amazing chakra control is aiding her a lot and I honestly don't think she will have any problems once she fully understands the principals behind the jutsu and how it is meant to work. If she keeps it up she should be able to have it at an acceptable level before we meet with Zabuza although there is a great deal that I can't teach her." said Naruto.

"Shino and Kiba both seem to be having some troubles with their techniques and I am honestly worried that they will not progress far enough. If this is any indication of their speed of progression then they will be having a lot of problems when we run into Zabuza and his group of merry thugs." And with that Naruto sighed before looking back up towards the stars.

Hinata's frown deepened as she realized that he had stopped talking again and was not going to openly tell her what the problem was without her coming out and asking. She reached up and ran her hand through his messy golden locks causing him to jump slightly before turning back towards her and looking deep into her eyes. Naruto let out a soft sigh of content as Hinata slowly massaged his scalp. "What's wrong Naruto-kun? You seem so down. Please tell me what's bothering you. I hate it when you keep secrets from me and it hurts to see you upset like this." Said Hinata with a pleading tone in her voice.

Naruto cursed his luck; he really didn't want to hide anything from her but at the same time he didn't want to bother her with his worries. He turned and resigned himself to his fate. She was not going to let this go so he might as well face the music and just come out with it.

"Hinata-chan… I'm concerned. That's what the problem is. Their progress may be good but it's not good enough. I mean I knew going into this that their chances of succeeding with these jutsus in the time we had were not very impressive but I had hopped that they would by some miracle pull it off. But now I am almost certain that they will not be able to use them effectively when the fight with Zabuza comes. Which means they are sitting ducks." Said Naruto while rubbing the back of his neck.

"out of the 8 of us that will be involved in this fight only 4 of us are skilled enough to hold our own against these guys and even then I am concerned about you going up against the likes of Zabuza and Haku. Even with the skills I have though you, they still outclass you. As far as our jonin sensei's go, they can handle themselves but as it stands right now they have no idea that we will be running into them. They are on their guard now because of the last attack but they still are not prepared for a pair of S-Class ninja to be starting a fight with us. They will try to protect the 6 of us while fighting and that type of action can get them killed in this battle."

"What's more is it's likely to be more then just the two of them coming for us. And you can be sure that at some point during the fight their attention will turn towards us genin, at which point I may very well have to show my true abilities in order to keep us from getting killed. And if that was not bad enough, with the way things are right now I have absolutely no idea how we are going to be able to bring Haku and Zabuza over to our side. Everything is against us Hinata-chan. That is what my problem is." finished Naruto who was breathing heavily now. it would have been obvious to anybody that could see them that he was extremely anxious about this whole situation and as a result his mask of calm and tranquility that he usually wore was nothing more then a pile oh dust at his feet.

Naruto looked over at Hinata and what she saw scared her more then she thought she ever could be. Naruto had the look of a lost child on his face. He was supposed to be insanely powerful, everything she knew about him told her that he never gave up, he was always confident in his success and he was never afraid. But now all of those things lay at their feet and all she saw in his eyes was fear, worry, and a sense overwhelming confusion.

Hinata was shocked. She realized that he was worrying about something but she did not expect him to break down like this. She couldn't even begin to understand how much pain his must be in with all the memories haunting him of what he considered his failures in the past. All of his friends dieing around him. It must have been so hard on him and yet he almost never talked about it. It was eating him up inside and it showed at times like this. Hinata leaned over and gave Naruto a hug, holding him close.

She realized of course that these feelings were not for himself but his friends. He was not afraid for his life, he was afraid for the lives of his friends, his precious people. He was afraid that he would fail them when they needed him most and that it would result in an even grater failure which would ensure the loss of everything he knew. That was what he was afraid of, that was what he was worried about. And the confusion, the confusion was simple. He was just unsure of what he should do. She had always known him to be decisive in his actions; he always knew what he was doing. He may not have always had a plan but he always moved forward and never looked back. For the first time in his life he was genuinely unsure of what to do and confused about what he could do and that scared him. Doing nothing was just as good as accepting failure and yet if you do not know what to do then how can you move forward.

For the first time in her life she decided to take things into her own hands. It was her chance to be a guiding light for him instead of the other way around. If he wasn't sure what to do then she would show him the way and together they would see each other through this mess. Hinata pulled back slightly and grabbed Naruto by the shoulders, shaking him roughly to snap him out of his thoughts before speaking. "Naruto-kun… Your not alone in this fight, you have to let others help you or we will never succeed. Trust in your friends and they may very well surprise you. Even if they can't master these jutsus they will fight hard to ensure that we succeed and they won't die as easily as you think."

Naruto seemed to perk up a bit at her words. She was right of course. They may be jonin but they were still Konoha ninja and they would not give up. They would fight with every ounce of their strength until they felt they could not go any more and then they would go for another round. He was once again snapped out of his thoughts by her words. "From what you told me Haku and Zabuza are no push over's. Killing them was one thing, talking them into coming over to our side while trying to keep them from killing us is going to be a whole other matter."

"But you also said that you encountered them twice in your last mission. So don't try and convince them during the first battle. Instead beat them into the ground and make them see what Konoha Ninja are really capable of. Then before they retreat we make our offer. Keep in mind Naruto-kun that you said you know where Haku will be after the battle when we reach town. You can take that chance to convince him discretely about the benefits of coming to Konoha."

"Naruto-kun. You don't need to worry about the rest of us. We are all ninja and we know the risks. You need to trust that we will not let you or the village down. But more then that I know that you will watch out for us. You are a great ninja and you have 10 years of experience more then anybody would think that you had. It's a huge advantage to you in our upcoming battles. Everybody will underestimate you and since nobody was around to tell our enemies about what you did to the last ninjas we fought, our enemies will not know what to expect. They will think you're just a genin like the rest of us even though you have the skill of an Anbu captain. We can do this Naruto-kun, you just need to trust that we will all do our part and allow us to show you our ninja way." And with that Hinata pulled Naruto back to her and continued to hold him tight while waiting for his response.

Naruto stared wide eyed at the actions of the once shy girl that he knew. _You are truly becoming a woman of great strength Hinata-chan. I am so proud of you, I will never understand how your father could ever call you weak. You said you wanted to be more like me. My only response to that is your already there. You have all the confidence and strength you need Hinata-chan, you just don't realize it yet. _Thought Naruto. "Your right hina-chan, I need to trust that we will all pull our own weight and that in the end it will be us standing on top. What would I ever do without you?" teased Naruto.

Hinata blushed at the obvious comment before pulling away from Naruto and smiling brightly at him. Naruto smiled back and got to his feet. He still had his concerns but for now he had his wits back and was ready to call it a night. He needed his rest if he was going to maintain this schedule and stay sharp enough to be able to look out for his friends. He looked down at Hinata. Putting out his hand he said. "Shall we go?". Hinata smiled shyly at Naruto, blushing gracefully and took his hand, allowing him to pull her to her feet and into his arms. Naruto started to walk back to camp with his arm around Hinata's shoulder, talking happily about nothing in particular. Just enjoying her company.

* * *

It was the 4th day of their training together and once again Naruto found himself sitting under yet another tree staring up at the stars with Hinata sitting next to him. There was however one major difference now compared to there earlier encounter several days ago. Naruto was practically freaking out. Of course on the outside he was cool as ice, he was trying his best to keep up appearances until he determined what to do about this new problem. He had woke up early this morning before his and Hinata's watch and decided that he would go for a walk. He had masked his chakra and left behind a Kage bushin to be sure that nobody noticed he was gone.

That was not what was bugging him now though, what was bugging him is what he had discovered on his little walk. He had been walking around trying to sort his thoughts and just genuinely trying to get his plans in order for what was to come in a few days when he sensed a chakra signature that he didn't recognize. His training immediately kicked in and he took off in the direction he had sensed it. he approached the location with stealth, being sure to watch his surroundings and almost jumped into the middle of an enemy camp. He had in fact landed in a tree with one of their sentries and had barely managed to avoid detection.

He had observed them for nearly 30 minutes, listening in on their conversations and gaining valuable intelligence on what they were planning. Now you would think that he would be excited about this, after all he now knew exactly what to expect. Well sure he was happy that he knew but that did not change the fact that there was no way his team would survive unless he tipped them off about the ambush. There had been 14 ninja in their group spread out over nearly a mile of land in various hidden camps. They had obviously been following them for a day or two and that in it self worried him because he had not sensed them until now and even then he had barely sensed them. He was nearly certain that the rest of his team including his senseis were oblivious to them. As far as he could tell the ninja were varying levels from chuunin to jonin and they were all obviously well training in stealth.

Naruto knew he would have to thin out their ranks if they were going to succeed. The best choice was to make a preemptive strike on them and wipe them out. The only way to do that would be to inform Kurenai and Kakashi and have the 3 of them with possibly Hinata make an assault on them. Of course in order to do that they would need to know how he knew about them and the end result of that conversation would almost certainly be him revealing his secret to the two jonin.

One thing confused him though. Why the large force. He knew that Gato wanted to stop the bridge from being built but he didn't think he would go this far, or that he had this kind of fire power. Sure he had lots of thugs at his disposal but these guys were trained, highly trained ninja. Were they employed by Zabuza through Gato? No that wouldn't make sense. Zabuza was to full of himself to bring in this kind of backup when going against 2 teams of genin. He would be the type of person to go against them with just Haku and maybe one or two more ninja. Gato must really have been serious about this whole destroying the bridge thing if he was willing to spend the kind of money needed to hire this kind of heat.

Well regardless of whom they worked for he did know they were working with Zabuza. He had learned that Zabuza and Haku were waiting 3 days ahead at the very lake they had fought before. The plan was a fairly simple one. Zabuza and Haku would engage the jonin and once they were busy with their own fights the ninja following that had been following them would attack from behind and wipe out the genin and the bridge builder. It was the worst case scenario. They would not survive such a scenario and that was why he felt like he was having a mental breakdown right now. He was trying desperately to determine how to deal with this situation and he kept coming back to the same answer time and time again. He had to tell Kurenai and Kakashi and prey that they supported him without divulging the information he gave them to the Hokage or anybody else.

To top everything off their training had not been going as well as he had thought it would. Other then Hinata the whole team had pretty much hit a brick wall on the second day and had been struggling with the jutsus ever since. They had all manage to produce low level versions of the defensive skills he had been showing them but nothing even close to being able to stand up to the attacks these ninja would through at them, as far as the attack jutsus went, they all had their own problems. The only one even remotely close to mastering theirs was Sasuke and as it was he was practically putting himself in the ground with the amount of chakra he was wasting while trying to control it. He may have got it to work but in a battle it would be the end of him because of his chakra use. Hinata at least had everything solid; she would be fine, he was fairly certain of that.

And so Naruto found himself staring up at the stars as he had been for nearly the past hour trying desperately to figure out what to do and trying to keep his cool at the same time. He had already informed Hinata of what was to come and everything that he knew about the ambush to come. Naruto had already convinced himself that if things got bad during the battle that he would use his true strength to crush the opposition even if it meant revealing himself to his teammates. It was better then loosing his friends. He only hoped it didn't come to that, if it did then he was almost certain that the news would get out and that would be disastrous.

Naruto jumped slightly as he felt a hand on his shoulder but relaxed as he realized that it was just Hinata. She had been worrying about him all day as he had been getting more worked up. He smiled to Hinata and gave her a quick hug before standing up and offering her his hand. They walked quietly back to camp hand in hand while Naruto made up his mind about what to do. As they reached camp he finally made his choice and turned to Hinata.

"Let's get some sleep Hina-chan. Our shift is last watch tonight and we need to be on our guard from now on even more so then we are now." said Naruto. Hinata smiled and then nodded. "Okay Naruto-kun." And with that they walked into their tent and proceeded to fall to sleep. Well at least Hinata did. Naruto on the other hand had already made up his mind to talk with his senseis. They needed to know what was coming and he wanted to talk to them by himself. He laid quietly for about and hour until he was positive that Hinata was fast asleep and then he got out of his sleeping bag and headed outside to talk to Kakashi and Kurenai while they were on watch so that nobody would disturb them.

* * *

Kakashi sat in the branches of a large tree on the outskirts of their camp reading his copy of Ichi Ichi paradise while Kurenai sat in the opposite tree glaring daggers at him for his perverted nature. She could not stand perverts and it was a well known fact that Kakashi was one of the biggest perverts in all of Konoha. She continued to glare at him until she was suddenly startled out of her thoughts by a voice behind her.

"He's quite the pervert isn't he" said the voice before moving out of the way of the kunai that imbedded into the tree behind him a second later. Kurenai spun around and found Naruto standing on the ground with his arms folded, his eyes closed, and a smirk on his face. "You're a little on the slow side Kurenai-sensei don't you think?" mocked Naruto

Kurenai closed her fist tightly and clenched her teeth. Who the hell did this kid think he was to mock her like that. How the hell did he sneak up on them? "Naruto what the hell are you doing out of your tent. It's not your watch yet, get to bed." Said Kurenai. Naruto laughed and shook his head. Kurenai instantly stiffened as she heard the voice come from behind her again as Naruto blinked out of existence. "I think it's time we have a little talk Sensei" whispered Naruto before reappearing on the ground, this time leaning up against a tree between the two trees his sensei's occupied.

Both jonin stared in shock. How the hell had he traveled so fast. The only technique that allowed speed of that extent was the Hiraishin no Jutsu, but only the Forth Hokage knew that technique, how could he possibly have learned it. And yet it didn't seem to be quite the same. Kakashi could not quite put his finger on it but he had seen the Forth's prized jutsu in action and it had been different. Not much different but still different. This seemed inferior somehow but he didn't know how. Regardless the fact still remained that it had to be a offshoot of the forth's jutsu and there was no way that a genin could learn such a jutsu, let alone the dead last of the academy. It just didn't make any sense.

Naruto looked at both his senseis out of the corner of his eyes and chuckled to himself. That had gotten their attention. Both of them would be sure to know what technique he had used and they would have to listen to him now, at least to some extent. And he would not have to deal with them looking down on him while he was trying to explain the situation to them. "Well are you two going to get out of those damn trees and talk to me or are you just going to sit their looking at me like a bunch of idiots." Joked Naruto.

Kakashi put away his book at removed his headband from his eye revealing the Sharingan. "How did you learn that technique Naruto, and how did you learn to sneak up on us like that?" asked Kakashi in a stern voice. Naruto shook his head. "That's not important right now, what is … " Naruto never finished his technique however as Kurenai cut him off. "No, it is important right now Naruto, answer our questions. How did a Genin learn the Hiraishin no Jutsu and learn to mask his chakra so well that not even a pair of highly trained jonin could detect it."

Naruto clenched his teeth. He did not have time for their bullshit. "I do not have time for your crap right now, either get your asses down here and talk to me or I will personally beat you both into submission and tie you up so that we can have this little chat. When were done talking you will have all the answers you need, so shut the fuck up and get down here." snapped Naruto. The last few days had been hell for him and he was sick of being looked down on. These two were going to listen or he was going to make them listen.

Once again Kurenai and Kakashi found themselves staring in shock at their student. It was easy to tell that he was being series and the killer intent that escaped him for the briefest of moments was incredibly strong. Now Naruto will probably never know why they finally agreed to come down and talk to him but it's a fairly safe bet that at the time it was because they feared that the nine tails was breaking free and were afraid of provoking the beast but regardless of what the reason was the end result was the same. Within seconds of letting off his burst of killer intent to show them that he was being serious they both landed on the ground a few feet away in what could be considered a very loose fighting stance. Meaning that while they were not actually in a fight stance they were clearly on edge and prepared to fight if needed.

Naruto looked over his new sensei's and was struck with how different they truly were now compared to how they were years in the future during the war. The war had changed them greatly like he had changed most of those it touched and he was once again struck with the realization that he had to much to protect to stop now. So he took and deep breath, stealing himself for the hours to come and then began.

"What I am about to tell you is to stay between the 3 of us unless I give express permission otherwise. The information I am about to pass on to you effects the very fate of Konoha and every person living within her walls not to mention the lives of our allies. We have 1 chance and 1 chance only to stop what is to come and that chance will be lost if this information falls into the wrong hands. In fact it could very well make things worse."

At the mention of the fate of Konoha both jonin stiffened and gave their full attention to the young ninja in front of them. Neither understood what was going on but they were both fairly certain that if they listened to what Naruto had to say that they would get the details and at that point they could determine the next course of action.

"I am being serious when I say that this information must stay between us. That means that not even the Hokage can find out until I deem it safe to tell him. And so that you both know, I will protect this information with my life and yours. If you try to betray my trust I will kill you without a second though. Do not think for a second that I am incapable of it either. Neither of you have any idea of what I am capable of and I will not let your ignorance ruin the only chance I have to prevent the death and destruction of everything I hold dear." Said Naruto.

Kakashi and Kurenai were taken aback by Naruto's suddenly aggressive and heartless attitude. It was so unlike him and yet they really didn't know him to begin with. He was acting more like a experience ninja with a mission then the genin he was and everything about him right now screamed authority and superiority. It was very disconcerting for the two jonin.

Naruto smiled slightly before continuing. "Now that we have that out of the way allow me to enlighten you on the current situation that we find ourselves in. and for the sake of time, please do not interrupt me. We can discuss your questions when I am done. The situation is like this. During the next chuunin exams Konoha will be attacked by the Hidden village of Sound and the Hidden village of Sand. The attack will be lead by our very own S-class missing ninja, a certain Sannin that we are all familiar with. Orochimaru will have by that time if he hasn't already infiltrated the Village of Sand and assassinated the Kazekage and replaced him without the village knowing. The same is to be said about his personal guard."

"Without any intervention from us the Sound will fail in their attack and the sand will be beat back. at the end of the conflict the sand will join us again as allies after realizing that their Kage was a fake but the damage will have already been done. The Hokage will be killed during the attack and nearly half our ninja will die with him. The village will be seriously damaged and the people will be scared. Over the next few years Konoha will try to rebuild with the help of Tsunade and Jiraiya but in the end before we are able to rebuild our strength the Sound will attack us again and we will be drawn into a war. For 7 years we will fight a loosing battle until finally Konoha will be destroyed and every last ninja that stayed behind will die."

Naruto paused briefly for this to all sink in before he continued and to get a feeling for how they were taking this information.

The jonin were not exactly taking it very well. Kakashi was trying to determine weather he thought this was a huge joke and a sick one at that or if Naruto somehow was telling the truth. Kurenai on the other hand was just shocked beyond words and did not know what to think. In the end Kurenai was the one to speak first. "H-how do you know all of this Naruto?"

The change in the mood was almost instant and both Jonin immediately knew that Naruto was telling the truth. Naruto's expression changed from one of power and superiority to one of sorrow and loss, to that of a warrior who has experienced years of hell and watched everything he knew slip away. Both jonin had been involved in the previous war to different degrees and they both immediately recognized the look on the boys face. It was a look that only war could give you.

"I know because I was there the first time and was unable to stop it. I watched as my friends, my family, and my home was destroyed by a monster and nobody could do anything to stop him. I watched as we were slowly driven farther and farther into Konoha as the sound began to occupy our wonderful village and I watched as brave warriors fought along side me and my friends in a vain effort to regain our homes until finally I was the only one left. In the final attack I watched as all my remaining family and friends were killed including the fifth Hokage and when it was all said and done I was left with only one option. Return to the past and stop that war from ever happening. I will do everything in my power to avoid watching that horror again. And it's as simple as that."

"If this is all true Naruto then we must inform the Hokage at once." Began Kakashi but was cut off by a kunai being placed at his neck. "What did I tell you about telling others Kakashi? You will keep this to yourself or I will end your life here. Konoha has spies within its mists. We must deal with them first before we do anything else or the sound will learn of our plans and may advance the invasion. It was a close call the first time around at the chuunin exams. It could have just as easily gone the other way and then we would have lost then and there. And if they know that we know they will come in larger numbers, of that you can be sure. They will throw their whole weight at us and try and crush us in one fowl swoop. We must play our cards carefully and ensure that it is the leaf that wins and NOT THE SOUND." Said Naruto as he returned to his place at the tree he was leaning against.

Kurenai was the next to speak up as Kakashi was still to shocked to speak again. "Naruto, how did you get back in time and if you did come from the future, why do you look like your 12 years old." Naruto sighed. "I used a forbidden jutsu that has been practically lost for hundreds of years. Only a small amount of information is available on it and none of that information is within Konoha. I personally learned about it from Kyuubi and before you two go freaking out relax. I am in control. But over the years I have built a relationship with the stupid fox. We have been through a lot together and I have learned to tap into his immense power almost completely at will which is a good thing because the damn jutsu took a shit load out of me. Even with my power It almost killed me."

"As far as the age thing, the jutsu works by merging the future and pass selves together to create something more. My soul is stuck into the body of my past self. The result is that I look like I'm 12 but I have all my skills and experience and I also have all my chakra from the future plus my chakra from the present which in itself was a problem seeing as I did not have the space to store such power. Which is what this seal is for." said Naruto as the rolled back his sleeve on his right arm and pushed chakra into his arm revealing a incredibly intricate seal which Kakashi could tell was partially demonic in nature.

"This seal stores all my excess chakra along with the Kyuubi's excess chakra so that I do not explode from chakra overload. As a result I have nearly limitless amounts of chakra. In the event I really need it I can open the seal and gain access to the sealed portion of my chakra which is nearly double what isn't sealed." Naruto released the chakra from his arm and rolled down his sleeve again before continuing.

"Now that we have dealt with that it's time to deal with more pressing issues. We can worry about the invasion when we return to Konoha. For now we have several key issues to deal with if we hope to even make it home to Konoha. The first of which is dealing with the 14 ninja that have been following us for the past day or two that are planning on ambushing us in a few days time." said Naruto in a calm voice.

Both Kakashi and Kurenai nearly had a heart attack on the spot, they hadn't sensed anything of the sort, what the hell was Naruto talking about. "Naruto what are you talking about, I haven't sensed anybody." Said Kakashi as he stepped forward closer to Naruto.

"Sensei they are there, they are highly skilled in the art of stealth and that is why you have not sensed them. They are waiting for us to run into two other opponents farther up the road at which point they intend to ambush us. I came across their camp late last night after sneaking out for a walk to think. I had barely sensed the chakra signature of another ninja and when I went to investigate I came across their camps. I was able to gather enough information to determine their ranks and numbers as well as their purpose but none of that matters. What does matter is that if we do not stop them before they ambush us we are all as good as dead. The 3 of us will not be able to protect the rest of the genin, we may be able to escape, and even possibly Hinata but the rest would die for sure. Our only hope is to take them by surprise and slaughter them before they can react." Said Naruto as he stared intently at the two jonin's in front of him.

Realizing that both of them were still thinking about what was said Naruto decided to lay out his plan for the attack. "My plan is simple; we go in as 2 teams. Hinata and I are team 1 while you and Kurenai are team 2. I go in solo first to take out their 4 sentries quickly and quietly seeing as how I am the only one the can ensure that they will not detect me and that they will not be able to react quick enough to save themselves. As soon as the Sentries are dealt with Hinata will meet up with me at their western most camp while you and Kurenai will go to their eastern most camp."

"When I scouted previously they had 2 ninja at each of the 2 outermost camps, 4 sentries and 3 ninja in each of the 2 inner most camps. One of two things will happen. The first is that we will take them by surprise again and will be able to kill them before they can alert anybody leaving the inner camps completely unaware of our presence or they are able to call for help at which point they will be forced to split their forces in some manner to deal with the issue. Regardless of what happens no one must escape. They must not be allowed to inform the party ahead of us."

Kakashi once again found himself surprised by the young ninja in front of him. He clearly had this thought out and everything he said made sense. It was a strong and sturdy strategy and it was true that if they caught them by surprise that their 4 man strike team would be able to tear apart their forces before they even had time to mount a defense or offence for that matter. "When do you propose that we make this strike Naruto." Asked Kurenai before Kakashi could ask the same questions.

"The best choice would be tomorrow night after we make camp. You should take first watch like you usually do and have Sasuke and Sakura take second watch. When you two get off watch you should meet us at the rendezvous point by which time I will have taken care of the sentries and we will proceed with the plan. Sasuke will most likely sense our chakra signatures once we engage in battle and he will rouse the others. if they follow their training they will stay behind while Shino uses his bugs to scout ahead and check on us. That's our best choice."

"Now if you will excuse me I should really get back to my tent. I need to get some rest if we are to succeed in our operation tomorrow and I imagine that Hinata-chan will begin to miss me if I don't get back soon. She has an interesting habit of cuddling up to me while she sleeps. My bushin won't likely last long if she tries to latch onto it." said Naruto with a smile on his face. And with that he disappeared.

The pair stood still staring at the spot where Naruto had stood a moment earlier until finally Kurenai spoke. "Kakashi… what do you make of all of this. I mean this just seems a little out there to me but at the same time, he does have the Kyuubi within him. He would have the power to pull of that kind of jutsu if it really did exist and there is no denying that he knows a very powerful and very unique jutsu that only the Forth Hokage was known to of used. I just don't know what to think. If even a portion of what he says is true we are in so much trouble I don't want to think about what's going to happen. Can you even imagine? Konoha falling to that bastard Orochimaru and the Sound. But the worst part is it's exactly the type of thing that he would do. he has hated Konoha for years, ever since the Third passed him over for the position of Hokage. It would certainly be something he would do and you can't deny that he is capable of doing such a thing."

Kakashi stared at the spot Naruto had been for a moment longer until he turned his attention to Kurenai. He had heard everything she said and the truth was he was in the same boat as her. he was just as confused about this whole situation but at the same time he could find no other explanation for what Naruto had said. And there was of course the seal on his arm and the look in his eyes when he began talking about his experiences in the past. He knew that look. It was not something that could be faked and he was positive that Naruto was genuine in his sense of loss. Kakashi knew that look because he had dealt with it almost every day of his life after his teammates death.

"As far as I can tell Kurenai he was telling the truth. It explains a lot actually if you think about it. The sudden change in style, skill, and attitude starting the day of the team assignments. The way he was reported acting that morning when he saw the rest of the genin. The way he was able to so easily beat us during the survival test and the sudden increase of skill and confidence in Hinata who has been training constantly with Naruto. I mean this is Naruto we're talking about, you said yourself that he never paid any attention to Hinata and then suddenly he just accepts her and they have been inseparable since then not to mention he told her his secret about the Kyuubi. The very day that they got together. Those are too many coincidences. It all makes sense if we take what he said to be true. Do that and everything falls into place."

Kurenai thought on that for a moment before finally agreeing. They continued to discuss the issues at hand for the rest of their watch before retiring for the night to get some sleep like Naruto had suggested. He was right after all. They would have to be well rested if they were to succeed. Kakashi made a mental note to cancel the teams training for tomorrow; he couldn't have Naruto and Hinata tiring themselves out with training if they were going to be fighting a battle against superior numbers in the evening.

* * *

Things had progressed pretty much how Naruto thought they would from the moment he left his senseis and the following evening. He had returned to his tent to find his bushin gone as he had expected and Hinata lying close to his sleeping bag. She had instantly wrapped her arm around him after he lay down on his bag and had pulled herself close to him before resting her head on his chest and settling into a more restful state of sleep to which he followed shortly after.

The following morning Naruto had awoken to Hinata sitting up with a huge blush on her face as was usual when she woke first and realized how close she was to her dream boy. Naruto was however surprised that they had not been awoken for watch. During breakfast they found out that Kurenai and Kakashi had taken their shift saying that they felt they needed more rest after all the intense training they had been doing.

Kakashi had announced that the days training would be cancelled so that they could all rest and then they had packed up and left. The rest of the day went as usual; they stopped for lunch, rested a few times for the bridge builder and then setup camp at dinner time. it had all been fairly routine and nobody had expected a thing was going on. Naruto had pulled Hinata aside to inform her of the plan during their journey that day and they were both pulled away from the group by Kurenai and Kakashi that night under the guise of discussing a new training regiment.

The remainder of the night went by quickly and without incident and so now Naruto found himself out on the edge of the perimeter of their pursuers camping area while Hinata held back and their sensei's finished up their watch.

Naruto slowly approached the first sentry as he had the night he found them. Just like that night, he was able to get into the same tree as the sentry only this time he carefully climbed down the tree and slipped around the trunk of the tree until he was directly behind the guard. The last thing the Sentry saw was the edge of a kunai slid across his neck before he died.

Naruto Grabbed the body and carried it away to ensure that nobody happened upon it by chance before turning around and finishing off the other 3 sentries in much the same fashion. In less then 10 minutes he returned to the rendezvous location where Hinata, Kurenai and Kakashi were waiting. Hinata gasped as she caught sight of Naruto. The last sentry had turned around at the last second by chance and as a result he had be sprayed with blood when he slit the guards throat drenching the front of his jump suit in blood and covering his face in a thin spray.

"I'm sorry you had to see this Hinata but you should get used to it. This is what happens when you kill. It's not usually a clean job." Said Naruto as he grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Alright you guys know your jobs. Lets get this show on the road." Said Kakashi as he and Kurenai jumped away through the trees in the direction of their target. Naruto looked at Hinata who nodded her head in agreement of the unspoken question and then they were off as well.

Naruto looked over at Hinata as they approached their destination and whispered softly as to not attract attention. "Be sure to keep your chakra masked as much as possible. We're going to wait for Kakashi and Kurenai to make their move. As soon as they do our opponents should drop their guard to us as they focus on the new chakra signatures at their far camp and when that happens we take them out quickly and with as little chakra as possible. The goal is to kill them without alerting the others to our presence. If it works then we will be able to sneak up on the next camp without them even knowing we're there."

Hinata nodded and they continued for another minute or so before landing in complete silence less then 50 feet from their objective. They didn't have to wait long for the fun to begin as they almost immediately sensed the battle beginning off in the distance. Naruto vaguely sensed several of the enemy ninja in the inner camps moving to provide support. He smiled and tapped Hinata on the shoulder to give her the go signal.

For the 5th time that night Naruto eliminated an enemy ninja without his prey even knowing he was there. Using the forth's signature technique he appeared behind the ninja, wrapping his hand around the persons mouth and ramming his Kunai through the mans chest before he could even make a sound. It was a move he had perfected during the war and he used it often.

The second ninja spun around when he heard the body of his comrade hit the ground but before he could say a word Hinata was on him. 3 quick strikes from her family technique to vital organs throughout the body and the man dropped to the ground dead. She had used the technique flawlessly and with very little chakra output resulting in an almost non-existent chakra signature being produced. Naruto was fairly confident that if the enemy did sense it that they would have passed it off as their comrades coming to join the fight. It was to small to really sense who it belonged to.

Hinata looked over at Naruto after the deed was done and smiled brightly when she saw his face light up with respect and pride for her. She had done her job perfectly and he was proud of her. That was a feeling that she enjoyed. Nobody had ever been proud of her except for Naruto. Her family had always thought of her as a failure but she had just proved them all wrong and it was all because Naruto believed in her and gave her a strength that she didn't think she had before.

Naruto removed the bodies quickly with Hinata's help and then returned to the camp they had just cleared out. They could both sense the battle that Kakashi and Kurenai were involved in and it didn't feel like they were doing to great. Naruto looked over at Hinata and then jumped off into the forest with her hot on his heels. He didn't even need to tell her, she already knew. That was how well they worked together. He smiled to himself again.

"Hinata we don't have time to be stealthy anymore. We hold back our chakra until we get to the next camp and then we show our presence. Be sure to show them everything you got. We need to draw their attention even if just for a moment. The sooner we get to the battle the better our chances of success are." Said Naruto as he continued toward on of the inner camps.

"Hai! Naruto-kun" replied Hinata. A moment later they could see the next camp approaching. Naruto took the lead and jumped into the camp alerting the 2 occupants to their presence. It seemed that one of them had left to help out their comrades. That would make their job easier thought Naruto.

Naruto charged at the chuunin in front of him with Hinata following close behind. At the last moment he blinked out of existence and reappeared inside of the second chuunin's guard. He smirked before slamming his hand forward into the mans chest and yelling out "RASENGAN". The ninja's eyes shot open in surprise and pain as the ball of energy ripped through his clothes and began to rip apart his skin before he was sent flying back into the tree behind him, instantly knocking him out.

The moment Naruto had shifted Hinata had dropped down low as the chuunin Naruto had been running at threw a kunai followed by a kick, all of which were meant for Naruto. His eyes went wide with confusion when Naruto just simply disappeared and then was full of shock as he heard the yell behind him followed by his comrade's scream of pain. Both actions left him unprepared when for Hinata as she began to bombard his body with Gentle Fist strikes. Within moments the chuunin dropped to his knees and keeled over.

Hinata stood back up straight and turned around to see Naruto standing over his opponent's body with kunai in hand. She watched as he plunged the blade into the chuunin's chest before removing it and walking toward her. "Hinata we can't leave anybody alive. If they live, they'll inform Zabuza and Haku of what's going on and that means trouble for us." Said Naruto if answering her unspoken question. He knew that she didn't like to keel people without reason, she was still only a genin and killing was always hard for a genin. He remembered his first kill and the effect it had on him. he truly was sorry to have to push this on her but their was no choice.

Naruto quickly stood up straight as he sensed pair of chakra signatures coming his way. He and Hinata got into a battle stance and prepared for a fight. A moment later Kiba and Shino jumped out of the trees and landed in front of them. Naruto smiled and shock his head. He should have known they wouldn't stay put. "How's it going guys. Shouldn't you be back at camp sleeping." Teased Naruto. Kiba laughed. "Yeah but we figured you would need a hand. After all it's not like you can do anything right in the first place."

"We have disposed of the ninja in the camp to the west of here. He seemed to be by himself and was not a problem to deal with. Sakura and Sasuke have gone to aid our Sensei's" informed Shino in his normally dry and emotionless tone of voice. Naruto nodded his head making it known that he understood before speaking up. "Very well, you two return to camp and watch over the client, you shouldn't have left him in the first place. Take Hinata with you. I'll go on to see if our all powerful senseis could use a hand. I'm sure their getting their butts kicked by now." laughed Naruto and with that he blinked out of sight.

Naruto reappeared on the edge of the camp where Kakashi and Kurenai were fighting and instantly relaxed. It didn't look like they needed his help after all. it had all been a ploy by the looks of things. Kakashi was leaning against a tree with his stupid book in hand while Kurenai filed her nails a few feet away. Sakura and Sasuke were standing around with bored looks on their faces which told him that they were never needed in the first place. All in all they had faired fairly well against superior numbers although granted they had probably killed the two ninjas in the camp long before the back ups arrived at which point a 3 on 2 fight would not have been a problem for the famous copy cat ninja and Kurenai.

Naruto shook his head and turned around to leave. "Well I suppose were done then. You guys can deal with the clean up. I'm going back to camp to check on Hinata." Said Naruto as he left the clearing at a slow pace, deciding to travel normally instead of using his jutsu.

* * *

The next few days passed rather quietly. Naruto was aware that his senseis were keeping a close eye on him and Hinata after learning of both their skill and their knowledge. He wasn't sure weather they truly believe him yet but he was sure that they at least considered it a possibility and as such were not going to let it go without further investigation. Luckily they had chosen to keep their questions to themselves for the time being and had lied to the rest of their team about the reasons for leaving them behind on the raid.

The other genin had accepted their explanation or at least mostly accepted although it was obvious to Naruto that they were becoming very suspicious of him and they all seemed to know that he was holding something back. He resolved himself yet again to the fact that it would not be long now before he was forced to reveal the whole truth to his friends and hope that they could handle it.

Naruto was fairly sure that they were close to the lake now. he was having a hard time remembering the exact location as it had been so long ago that he had completed this mission but he was sure that they would reach it before long.

Less then an hour later he saw the familiar scenery that told him they were only a few minutes away from the lake and he began to prepare himself. As they walked out of the forest as a group and towards the lake a think fog began to roll off the water and surround them. This time Naruto beat Kakashi to the punch and yelled out a warning to the team. "Everybody DOWN" and with that the group dropped just in time to avoid Zabuza's sword flying overhead and imbedding itself into a tree.

Zabuza sneered at the genin and said "That was impressive kid, being able to sense my attack at such a young age. To bad I'm going to have to kill ya. The name's Zabuza. Remember it well. For it's the last thing you'll ever hear." And with that Zabuza jumped off the sword and landed on the water. Naruto smiled inwardly. It was time to get the games started.


	10. Enter Zabuza of the Mist

**Author Notes:**

Well here we are again with another installment of Second Chances. It has taken me forever to write this chapter. I must have re-written it about a dozen times now because every time I wrote it, it just didn't seem quite right. Anyways I think I got it this time. I hope you all enjoyed the story so far and of course I hope that you enjoy this newest chapter in the Second Chances universe.

Things have been unbelievably busy lately for me which is another reason that it has been nearly 6 months since I wrote last. However things seem to have finally gotten under control and I hope to be able to write a new chapter every week or two. Obviously my large chapters take time to write so bare with me and I will do my best to keep up on the updates.

Anyways please enjoy this chapter and be sure to Review. By the way I know that I tend to have a problem with grammar. I promise to go back over this chapter and all the other ones in the next month or two and correct them. I apologize for any problems this causes.

Well happy reading and make sure you REVIEW!!!

* * *

**Second Chances**

Chapter Ten: Enter Zabuza of Mist

By Cybergades

* * *

Naruto looked lazily at Zabuza for a few moments before laughing. "I'm going to enjoy this Zabuza. Get ready to have your ass handed to you." Said Naruto as he took a step forward before dropping into an advanced Taijutsu stance. "Come on, let's get this started." As he said that Naruto stretched out his right hand in front of his body, bringing his hand to eye level before gesturing for the Mist ninja to make his move.

While Naruto had certainly put up a strong front for his comrades and his enemies alike in his mind he was cursing himself silly. He had absolutely no idea what he was going to do to bring these two ninja's over to his side. What was more he wasn't even sure that he COULD bring them over to his side. Haku was one thing, his experiences with the young mist ninja in his previous timeline had proven that he was generally a very easy going and kind hearted person. It was true that he was utterly devoted to Zabuza but Naruto was convinced that he could bring him around.

Zabuza on the other hand was a completely different beast all together. He was ruthless, and uncaring and while it was true that deep down he did care about Haku it was not something that he openly acknowledged and if Naruto was true to himself he knew that Zabuza didn't even admit it to himself.

The only thing Naruto was sure about was that at this exact moment Zabuza had every intention of killing them and their charge. Since Haku was with him it was more then likely that Haku would be trying to do the same, or at least trying to disable them. This presented Naruto with a big problem. Not old did he have to keep his team mates alive but he had to do it without revealing his plans to them and he had to do it without killing his opponents. It was true that if Naruto went full out neither of the ninja in front of him would stand a chance but doing so would mean the loss of two important assets.

Cursing his situation yet again Naruto made his decision quickly. The only chance he had was to focus on Haku first. If he could convince Haku to join their cause he would at least have a leg to stand on with Zabuza. However at the moment he had to deal with Zabuza directly. Kakashi was barely a match for him in the previous time line and even though Kurenai was here as this time around he still had his doubts and concerns about letting them fight. Kakashi and Kurenai would aim to kill, he couldn't allow that. His mind was made up. He would distract Zabuza and play interference with his two sensei's for the time being in order to force their retreat. If he could force their retreat he would likely be able to meet up with Haku in the town again like he did in the previous timeline.

Zabuza just started at the young genin standing in front of him as a big smirk formed on his face. "You got guts kid, to bad their going to be splattered all over the ground in a few minutes." Zabuza quickly began forming hand seals before yelling out "Kirigakure no Jutsu". Slowly a thick mist began to flood the area making it nearly impossible to see.

Naruto looked on at the scene with a look of complete boredom. He had seen this technique used many times and he had used it just as often. It was nothing that worried him. "You'll have to do better then that Zabuza." Said Naruto in a calm voice that failed to betray his inner nervousness over the situation. Meanwhile Naruto was performing hand seals in rapid secession and then whispered under his breath "Fūton: Daitoppa". A powerful gust of wind shot forth from Naruto's location, rushing towards Zabuza and easily removing the mist from the field.

Zabuza dodged the blast of wind and quickly stood to face the genin again. His previous smirk a little less pronounced as he regarded his opponents. It didn't make any sense he thought to himself as he continued to stare at Naruto who for his part was just standing still and tapping his foot on the ground as if waiting for some type of response.

It just doesn't make any sense. He's only a genin and he's still a kid. How could he have such a powerful jutsu let alone the chakra to use it? It looks like it didn't even faze him in the slightest. After using something like that a kid his age should be practically crawling on the ground from exhaustion. What the hell is going on here? He stared into the kids eyes for a moment longer before his smirk widened. "I'm really impressed kid. That was quite the powerful attack and you're still able to stand after using it. Quite impressive indeed. But there's no way you got much left after something like that. I'll wipe the floor with you and then finish off your little friend's too." laughed Zabuza before charging forward, sword in hand.

Kakashi and the gang had been staring at the whole spectacle in a sort of daze. The other genin had been stunned into silence and frozen to their spots when Naruto had declared himself as Zabuza's opponent. Here was an S-class missing Ninja that had attacked them out of the blue and Naruto was fighting him as if it was the most normal thing in the world to do. The only ones that weren't surprised by this action were Kakashi, Kurenai, and Hinata. Hinata was simply watching because she knew that Naruto wouldn't want her to interfere at this stage. He would want her to listen to their senseis and do as they say. Kurenai and Kakashi were stunned because of the power of the Jutsu that Naruto had just used and the ease at which he had used it. It seemed as if he had used it hundreds of times and yet it was a C-rank jutsu that required a large amount of chakra to use effectively.

Kakashi was the first to come out of his Stupor and quickly assessed the situation as best he could. Despite what Naruto had said the other day he was still not convinced enough to let the young genin fight Zabuza of the Mist by himself. He looked over his shoulder at Kurenai and the rest of the genin before issuing his orders. "Kurenai, take Hinata and Sasuke and find this Haku character. The rest of you guard our client, I'm going to help Naruto, although I will admit it doesn't look like he needs it right this moment." Ordered Kakashi as the others nodded and left to follow their orders.

Naruto quickly got back into his Taijutsu stance and stared at Zabuza with determination in his eyes. A moment later Zabuza was upon him. In one fluid movement Naruto crouched down below his swing, rolling forward through his legs and into a hand stand before using his hands to change his direction and momentum. Naruto pushed of the ground spinning into the air while stretching out his leg to land a devastating kick to the right side of Zabuza's body. Landing back on the ground Naruto rolled back into his stance while Zabuza flew through the air and landed roughly on the ground from the strength of the blow.

Naruto charged forward to meet his attacker once more only to dodge to the left at the last second as several senbon needles embedded themselves into the ground where he had been standing a moment earlier. Naruto smirked slightly as he looked over his shoulder to see the form of Haku standing on a tree branch across the battle field. They locked eyes for a moment before Naruto turned his attention back to Zabuza as he sensed Kurenai, Hinata and Sasuke closing in on Haku's position. "It seems like our opponents have been decided." He said to himself quietly.

Naruto turned back towards Zabuza who had just dodged a series of punches and kunai strikes from Kakashi. Naruto smiled to himself and charged forward to re-engage his opponent. He had to keep them on the ropes. Kurenai, Hinata, and Sasuke would keep Haku busy. Of that he was sure. If they could keep them on the run it wouldn't be long before they beat a retreat.

* * *

In a burst of speed Naruto disappeared from his current location and appeared less then a foot behind Zabuza and roughly three feet off the ground. Brining his right leg around quickly Naruto caught Zabuza completely unawares with a solid kick to the side of the head sending him flying through the air to land with a loud splash in the lake. A moment later Zabuza was pulling himself up front the water to stand on it's surface.

Zabuza shook his head from side to side to clear his vision before looking up at his opponents who were standing roughly thirty feet away on the shore of the lake. The young blond genin was smirking openly at him as if this was all a game. He had been impressed at the start but now he was just pissed. Who did this little shit think he was dealing with. He was ZABUZA OF THE MIST for fuck sakes. No little punk genin was going to get the best of him. he would show this little prick who was boss and by the time he was done the kid would be begging for death.

Smirking to himself Zabuza quickly began to rush through hand seals before calling out "Suiton: Suiryudan no Jutsu". A huge jet of water shot up from the lake he was standing on an formed into a fierce looking Dragon before rocketing towards his opponents. A second before the dragon hit it's target the punk smirked wider and winked at him. WINKED. The fucker actually winked at him. He found out why a second later as both of his opponents disappeared into puffs of smoke and before he could even think of what was going on he caught sight of something out of the top of his eye. He had just enough time to look up before a incredibly powerful kick slammed into his shoulder sending him rocketing through the surface of the water and crashing into the floor of the lake.

Zabuza quickly launched himself out of the water nearly catching Naruto off guard. As it was Naruto barely managed to move out of the way in time to keep from being cut in half by Zabuza's huge sword. The sword cut through the fabric of his jacket and barely broke the skin across his chest instead of cleaving him in half. Naruto quickly recovered ducked out of the way of another swing. Dropping to his knees Naruto swept Zabuza's legs out from under him before rolling to the side just in time to miss the giant water dragon that Kakashi had summoned while the two were fighting.

The dragon slammed into Zabuza causing what was apparently a clone to dissolve into water. Naruto looked around quickly trying to find his opponent but not having any luck.

* * *

Back in the trees Haku watched as Zabuza was kicked hard in the face by the blond leaf genin just seconds after he avoided the senbon needles. Surprised to see that the ninja had moved out of the way in time and even more surprised at his speed and strength when he dealt such an incredible blow to Zabuza Haku nearly failed to notice the three shinobi who were closing in. Haku just barely avoided the kunai that Sasuke had thrown and the mysterious masked Ninja.

Sasuke delivered a punch with blinding speed towards the upper back of Haku which the masked ninja dodged deftly and proceeded to grab his wrist and kick him firmly in the chest sending Sasuke flying backwards off his perch in the trees. Hinata moved forward quickly during this exchange and landed a series of strikes on Haku's left side before rolling to the right to avoid a volley of senbon needles.

Sasuke was quick to attempt a follow through attack as he rushed towards the stumbling Mist Ninja only to shoved out of the way at the last second by Kurenai as several senbon needles flew through the air impacting a tree a few feet behind where Sasuke had been standing only moments before.

Hinata sensing her opportunity to prove herself to Naruto jumped forward attempting to deliver several Jūken shots to an unsuspecting Haku. Haku spun around at the last moment dodging the first several shots before grabbing her right arm, stopping one of her blows a mere few inches from the ninja's body. Using the other hand Haku performed several one handed seals and called out "Sensatsu Suishō". Instantly the moisture in the air began to form into thousands of small ice needles before shooting towards Hinata as Haku jumped back to avoid the blows.

Hinata looked on in horror as she watched the needles appear above her and felt her opponents hand tighten around her arm so she could not escape. Suddenly he released his grip on her arm and jumped back before the needles surrounded her. She closed her eyes and waited for the pain that she knew was coming but it never came. Startled she opened her eyes to see a huge tornado of water circling around her at incredible speeds.

* * *

Naruto saw the small spikes of ice appearing in rapid succession around his most precious person on the other side of the lake and thinking quickly he rushed forward as quickly as he could all the while performing the necessary hand seals before quietly saying "Suiton: Suijinheki". A moment before the needles hit Hinata, a water barrier shot up around her spinning at incredible speeds and effectively shredding any and all attacks directed towards her. He smirked slightly as he turned to head back towards the lake where he was sure his opponent was.

Unfortunately for Naruto during this exchange Zabuza had seen his opportunity to take control of this battle. Rushing forward quickly as Naruto performed the seals to protect Hinata Zabuza raised his and swung with all his might expecting to slice the foolish genin clean in two.

Naruto turned just in time to see the sword swinging towards him. knowing that he didn't have the time to get out of the way Naruto was barely able to raise a kunai in his right hand to prevent himself from being cut in half. The force of the blow however was not negated and he flew backwards slamming through a small tree on the edge of the lake before crashing into a large boulder.

Naruto Looked up a few seconds later, his vision swimming in front of him. He shook his head violently to clear his vision before slowly crawling to his feet as he saw Zabuza rushing forward to finish him off. Naruto burst forward to meet Zabuza in his charge as he saw Kakashi running towards to two of them.

The two enemy ninja met half way an Zabuza threw a flurry of punches and kicks at Naruto, all of which he deftly avoided before landing several of his own. Naruto jumped back out of the way of a powerful swing from Zabuza's sword and watched as Kakashi rushed forward to fill his place and the pair battled violently for control and slowly began making their way back to the lake where they began going through a series of water based jutsus neither one making any progress as Kakashi used his Sharingan to keep up with Zabuza and match him technique for technique.

Naruto watched for a few moments and was just about to rush forward again when he caught sight of a water clone just behind Kakashi and out of his line of sight. Naruto yelled to Kakashi to warn him but it was to late. The clone quickly trapped Kakashi in a water Prison leaving Naruto to face the real Zabuza alone.

Now truthfully this did not really bother Naruto. He already knew that Zabuza was not a match for him but what did bother him was that he was being forced to reveal more of his skills and strengths then he had wanted to at this point. his entire team knew at this point that he was capable of taking on an S class missing ninja. That was not something they would soon forget and it was going to bring up some very annoying questions when this was over. Shaking his head Naruto brought his attention back to the matter at hand. He had to make this a decisive victory for him or at least make it look like that was how it was going to end up. If he could do that then Zabuza would retreat with Haku.

* * *

Hinata smiled brightly as the barrier faded away leaving a stunned Haku staring blankly at her. Hinata smirked before speaking up. "Your going to have to do better then that buddy." Said Hinata as he jumped forward towards the mist ninja who seemed to be incredibly surprised at the strength that this seemingly weak genin possessed.

Hinata's smirk increased as she caught Haku full on in the side of the head sending the ninja flying into a tree with a sickening crunch. Hinata rushed forward preparing to incapacitate her opponent with her families infamous Taijutsu style but was brought up short as she was forced to fend up several volleys of senbon needles thrown by Haku.

Kurenai stepped forward to the right of Haku while Sasuke returned to his spot on the left leaving Hinata behind effectively surrounding the mist ninja in a triangle like formation. Kurenai examined the situation for a moment before speaking. "This battle is over. You're surrounded and outclassed. Give up now." stated Kurenai as she pulled out a kunai while the others followed suit.

* * *

Kiba, Sakura, and Shino watched warily as their team mates battled it out on two separate fronts. Neither seemed to notice that they were slowly moving back towards their location and reducing the safety zone that had built up between the battle and their charge. Kiba was just about to speak up to suggest that they move back a bit when Zabuza of the mist seemed to disappear from view followed closely by Naruto. A second later the three genin guarding the bridge builder were thrown carelessly aside a high speeds each of them slamming into the ground of trees.

* * *

Naruto stared down his opponent for a few seconds before deciding to try and trash talk him a bit. "I don't know what all the fuss is about you buddy. I could kick your ass blindfolded. Hell I've already mopped the field with your face about a half a dozen times. Don't you think it's time you run along home and find somebody more your skill level to play with?" laughed Naruto as he smirked openly at the ninja standing in front of him before winking playfully at him to add to the effect.

Zabuza stared stunned at the guts of this kid. Who the hell did he think he was? I'm Zabuza of the fucking mist for Christ sakes. I just beat the trapped his sensei, I have killed hundreds of people in my life time. What the hell is going on with this kid? Zabuza continued to rant in his mind about the way he was being treated by some snot nosed little punk of a ninja that thought he was all that before stopping dead as his eyes landed on the three genin behind him surrounding the bridge builder.

He had already seen the kids absolute need to protect his team mates and friends. He had rushed to save the girls life when Haku had surrounded her with the ice needles. He could use this to his advantage. Instead of trying to find an opening in the kids defenses he would MAKE an opening himself. A giant smirk crossed his face and it only increased as he watched the smirk on Naruto's face falter ever so slightly when he saw it forming on his face.

"I think your right kid, I do need to find somebody a little easier to pick on. Thanks for the advice." And with that he disappeared from view as he rushed forward. He was fast but even so Naruto had been able to see where he was going. Cursing himself for not finishing this when he had the chance Naruto rushed towards his comrades and their charge to protect them from certain death.

Zabuza arrived a few seconds before Naruto did and landed right in the middle of their formation where he spun around slamming his fists and the butt of his sword into the bodies of the 3 ninja protecting the bridge builder before they could react. All 3 were sent flying in different directions and crashing painfully into the ground and trees that surrounded them.

Zabuza was just about to slice the bridge builder in half when Naruto showed up between them with a kunai drawn. Zabuza slammed the sword into the kunai causing Naruto's kunai to dig painfully into his shoulder as the force of the blow and the continued pressure forced his blade back. Mustering all of his strength Naruto pushed his blade forward dislodging the sword from Zabuza's hands and sending it flying through the air and well out of reach.

Before Naruto could react Zabuza's left hand rushed out from his side and buried a kunai up to the hilt into his stomach. Naruto's eyes flew open in surprise as an earth shattering scream ripped through his body. Panicking Naruto grabbed Zabuza's wrist with his hand and prepared to deliver the killing blow with his other which still held his own kunai. His quickly brought the kunai forward aiming for the heart but at the last possible second Zabuza moved slightly to the side and Naruto buried his own Kunai into his body. He had succeeded in his attack but he had missed his mark. The blade was buried several inches to the side of the heart avoiding all major organs. It would not kill him but at least it would slow him down.

Zabuza screamed out in pain as the blade sliced through his flesh and embedded itself in his chest. The two ninja stumbled back from each other and both fell towards the ground.

* * *

Haku stood in the middle of the three the ninja and looked around. It didn't look like things were going to work out the way they hoped this time. it looked like retreat was the best option at this point. at that moment just as Haku was trying to decide what the best course of action would be a painful cry sounded through the battlefield and all three of the enemy ninja's turned towards the sound. Haku was just about to take advantage of their momentary distraction when Zabuza's voice rang through the field in the same type of painful cry.

Haku's head swung around in the direction of the sound and took off at the sight that sight that welcomed all four ninja. Both the blond genin and Zabuza were stumbling backwards with what looked like kunai buried deep within them in what could easily be mortal wounds. Haku rushed forward past his captors as fast as possible trying desperately to reach Zabuza before he fell.

* * *

Kurenai, Sasuke, and Hinata turned around swiftly at the sound of Naruto's pain filled voice coming from the direction of the bridge builder. All three of them watched in horror as he stumbled backwards with a kunai buried deep in his stomach but none were more worried then Hinata. In a second she was off rushing to the side of her most precious person and followed closely by her two team mates.

* * *

Naruto's vision swam in front of him as he stumbled backwards. This was not how it was supposed to happen. He knew he wasn't going to die from this wound but that didn't change the fact that he may of killed the very person that he was trying to bring to his side. Reaching down he ripped the kunai from his stomach and almost immediately felt the wound begin to heal. He watched as Haku and his various team mates rushed towards him and Zabuza with only Kakashi remaining stationary within the prison.

Naruto lost his balance from the attack and began to fall backwards just as he saw Haku reach Zabuza and pull out what looked like several bottles of a dark purple like liquid. At the sight of something he was unfamiliar with Naruto struggled to right himself. He threw his hands back just as his comrades approached his side and proceeded to do a sloppy back flip to get on his hands. Naruto rushed forward to try and stop Haku from using whatever was in those bottles.

Rushing forward just as Haku wrapped an arm around Zabuza's back and used the other to prepare to throw the bottles in his direction Naruto already knew that he was too late. He slammed his fist into the right side of Haku's chest sending the pair of ninja's flying backwards while the bottles flew forwards.

Under normal circumstances Naruto might have been able to move fast enough to catch the bottles but this was simply not meant to be. As Naruto's first connected with Haku's chest he instantly noticed something that both intrigued him and scared him more then he would ever admit. Instead of feeling his fist connect with muscle and bone like he expected he felt his fist connect with something soft and swishy. So obviously he was pretty surprised. In fact he was so surprised that it gave him pause for a few moments and it was those few moments that prevented him from stopping the bottles as they flew through the air.

By the time Naruto came out of his momentary stupor the bottles were just breaking on the forest floor in several different locations. Naruto had been expecting something to happen so imagine his surprise when nothing did. He had just let go of the breath he had been holding unconsciously when he caught several slightly wet senbon needs flying through the air out of the corner of his eyes. He watched in horror as the needles embedded themselves in the pools of liquid from the bottles and instantly large clouds of dark purple gas billowed up from those locations spreading out rapidly.

* * *

Haku launched the senbon needles covered in the catalyst for the poison towards the pools of normally harmless chemicals which lay on the floor of the forest before grabbing Zabuza and taking off as quickly as possible. This was the only chance they would have to escape and that was specifically what this poison was used for. Its sole purpose in Haku's arsenal of attacks was a distraction to allow them to escape in an emergency.

* * *

Naruto had only a moment to think of what to do. he watched in horror as the gas engulfed his comrades and they began to choke and fall over. the effect seemed to be almost immediate. Making up his mind Naruto rushed forward as quickly as he could and caught Hinata as she passed out from inhaling a very small amount of the gas. Of all of his comrades Hinata at been effected the least as she was the farthest from the gas.

Naruto held her closely in his arms as the gas faded away almost as quickly as it had come. He checked Hinata's pulse which he found to be beating strong before setting her down and checking on the others. as he was checking over the Sasuke he saw Kakashi checking over several others, the water clone obviously fading as Zabuza was no longer in the area.

Naruto sighed in relief as he and Kakashi finished checking over their comrades. As far as he could tell they were all fine. the gas, whatever it was seemed to only knock them out. Naruto assumed that it was used as an escape tool. Knock out several of the opponents and they would be to busy dealing with their own to worry about letting you escape. It sounded about right to him and it seemed to fit.

Naruto turned to Kakashi as he began to speak. "Naruto, I think we should take to ahead to the village. We're nearly there and we have to get them checked out. Zabuza and his partner are in no shape to bother us right now. We should rest up in the village and then figure out what to do from there." said Kakashi as he summoned his Ninja dogs to his side. For the next ten minutes or so Naruto and Kakashi went about securing their comrades and their charge onto their backs and the backs of the dogs before setting out for the village.

* * *

Hinata woke up to find herself lying in a futon which was not her own in a house that she had never seen before. Looking around the room she noticed several of her team mates laid out beside her and when she looked up she noticed a window above her head which had a wonderful view of the night time sky. Hinata groaned as she sat up. He head was killing her something awful and her throat burned for some reason.

She carefully made her way out of the futon and quickly dressed herself in clean clothes from her pack which was conveniently placed beside her bed. After getting dressed she slowly left the room with a kunai in hand. From the hallway that she was standing in she could hear voices coming from downstairs. She recognized two of them right away. One was her sensei Kakashi and the other was her Naruto-kun. She blushed brightly as she realized that she had just claimed him as hers before shaking her head to clear her thoughts.

She slowly made her way down the stairs and into what appeared to be a kitchen where four people sat around a table talking softly and eating.

* * *

Naruto looked up from the table to see Hinata walking towards them and smiled brightly. It had been hours since they had gotten into town and it had taken them nearly an hour to find the bridge builders home. Shortly after arriving and getting everybody settled into rooms and checking them over Kurenai had woken up. They had only just gotten her back to bed a fifteen minutes ago or so after having a long talk with her during which time Naruto's suspicions about the gas had been proven true.

Kurenai had woken with a massive headache and had apparently remembered nothing about the last week or so and her memories of the weeks prior to that were all jumbled. As far as they could tell it was an effect of the gas that they had been exposed to. While they couldn't be sure if there were other effects or if the effects it currently had were temporary or permanent they Naruto could tell that it was obviously meant as a distraction. What better way to get away then to expose the enemy to a gas that caused your opponent to pass out and screws with their long and short term memory.

As best as Kakashi and Naruto could tell the gas completely wiped the short term memories, removing the past week or so worth of memories before causing less severe effects on the long term memory resulting in several weeks worth of memories becoming jumbled and practically unintelligible. The last thing Kurenai had remembered clearly was a D rank mission that had taken place nearly a month ago.

Kakashi had said that the gas was a combination of several herbs of some sort combining in their liquid forms. That had been why the stuff in the bottles hadn't done anything until the senbon needles had hit the pools of liquid.

It had taken nearly an hour to fill in Kurenai on the recent events during which time Naruto had taken the opportunity to warn off Kakashi from telling Kurenai anything that would have seemed out of place about him, including his knowledge of the future. The fact was that it just wasn't the place to tell her, not with other people standing around listening in. He figured that once they got back to Konoha he would take the time to talk to Kakashi and have him fill her in again. who knows, by that time the effects may have warn off but at this point they really didn't know what would happen.

Naruto had spent the last several hours thinking about what he should tell his team mates. As much as he liked having the truth out in the open with them he didn't want to have to go through that again while on mission. Not to mention that he was beginning to wonder if he had tipped his hand to soon. By revealing his secret so completely to his whole team like that so early he could have changed a lot and then where would he be? His knowledge of the future was useless if it all changed. He had decided that he would leave it be and see if their memories returned.

Kakashi seemed to think that it would but that it might take a few weeks or even months. he wasn't positive but he couldn't think of anything that could make the effect permanent. The one thing that had Naruto really concerned however had been Hinata. She had been his life line since he came back in time and he desperately needed her to lean on. it had been a huge help having somebody to talk to and the though of her loosing all the knowledge that he had given her hurt him more then he cared to admit.

His only hope was that since she had been exposed to least that the effects would hopefully be less pronounced in her. As he gazed across the room at her delicate face he reminded himself yet again just how much of an idiot he had been in his previous timeline. It had taken him nearly six years after he became a genin to realize that she liked him and a day did not go by now that he did not kick himself for being so damn thick.

Granted she was still pretty young and it would be years before they had anything more then a really strong friendship but at least this time around he knew what her feelings were and he had acknowledged them not to mention returned them. Shaking his head of his thoughts Naruto beckoned Hinata over to the table and placed a plate of food in front of her.

"Hey Hinata-Chan how are you feeling?" Naruto asked hopefully. Hinata looked up at him and smiled before wincing and rubbing her temples. "I'm fine Naruto-kun but I have a wicked headache." Replied Hinata. Naruto smiled softly and let his thoughts drift once more. It never failed to amaze him how much Hinata had changed this time around just because he had paid attention to her. He had encouraged her to do her best and she had come into her own much earlier then she had in the previous timeline. Very little of the old timid Hinata was still around except for when the two of them talked about more personal things. Even then though she was still fairly strong willed. It amazed him what a little attention could do for a person.

Kakashi turned to Hinata before Naruto could ask her the next obvious question. "Hinata… other then your headache is there anything else that you feel is out of place? Do you remember what our mission is?" asked Kakashi. Hinata looked back and forth between Naruto and her sensei briefly before replying. "No Kakashi-sensei… there's nothing else wrong as far as I can tell. We're currently on an escort mission that was supposed to be C rank but has really turned into an A rank mission because of the resistance we have encountered. We're supposed to be escorting a bridge builder to wave country where we will protect him until he completes the bridge." Replied Hinata.

Kakashi smiled through his mask and nodded before turning back to his conversation with the bridge builders' wife. Naruto for his part sighed happily and in relief and knowing that the effects had indeed be far less pronounced in Hinata then Kurenai. It was likely that the rest of his team mates would suffer similar symptoms to their sensei but that could not be helped. They would simply have to be brought up to speed and then the job could be completed. If Naruto remembered correctly it would likely be another couple of weeks before the bridge was near completion and the final battle with Zabuza and Haku would take place.

Naruto and Hinata talked for hours about the effects of the gas and about what was still to come and about all sorts of other pointless things just to pass the time. Eventually the others awoke and as both Hinata and Naruto had assumed they were similarly afflicted by the gas they had been exposed to. After filling everybody in again on the mission and the events of the last week or so while leaving out the information about the Kyuubi and such everybody grabbed something to eat and went back to bed to wait out the remainder of the night. In the morning they would begin taking shifts in watching over the bridge builder while he worked on the bridge and those who weren't watching him would train. Naruto for his part had an appointment to keep in the morning. Tomorrow was the day that he would meet Haku in the fields outside the village, or at least he hoped he would.

* * *

Naruto lay in bed, his body was sleeping but his mind was not. Within his mindscape Naruto was pacing back and forth in front of the Kyuubi's cage trying to collect his thoughts. Things had been so hectic after the battle that he hadn't had time to think much about the weird occurrence at the end of the battle with Haku but once he was in his bed and preparing to sleep it had all come back to him. Naruto may have the body of a twelve year old but he had the mind of somebody in his twenties. If he had just been a normal twelve year old genin he would not likely have noticed the difference in Haku's body when he had punched the ninja in the chest. Haku's chest has been soft and squishy when he punched her which was extremely unusual in this case.

However with his increased experience in his past lifetime he knew for a fact that there was something off. In the past Naruto had fought both men and women of all ages and during those battles things had often gotten up close and personal. There had been many times when he had landed a blow to the more sensitive areas of the body of both men and women. It had been this past experience that had caused such shock for Naruto during his battle with Haku.

He had been shocked because he was positive that he had punched Haku in the breast. Now normally that would not have shocked him at all. After all he was a ninja, and this type of thing happened all the time in battle. Just because you were fighting a kunoichi didn't mean that you avoided hitting them in their feminine parts. You didn't really aim for them either but there was no mental choice one way or the other. You just hit them where you could and that was that. You treated them just like you would a male. So it wasn't that he had just punched a girl in the breast that was freaking him out.

No it was the fact that this particular ninja HAD breasts that was freaking him out. Taking a deep breath Naruto pulled all these thoughts together and stopped his pacing before turning to face Kyuubi. "WHAT THE FUCK? HAKU WAS A FREAKING GUY in the past timeline so how the hell does he have tits now you stupid fox?" screamed Naruto. Naruto took a deep breath before continuing. "I was the one to help clean in wounds in the past timeline after he died. I know for a fact that he was a GUY. He had all the parts and her most certainly did NOT HAVE TITS. So what in name of Christ is going on here? You want to tell me how anything I could of done could make a change like THAT?" asked Naruto before beginning to pace again.

Naruto could feel the Kyuubi's eyes on him as he paced back and forth and he just knew that he was thinking he was acting ridiculous about something that in the foxes mind was likely insignificant. But it didn't matter to him at this moment. Because the fact was if something like this could be actually different then anything could be different. He needed an explanation. He back to Kyuubi and raised his eyebrows while tapping his foot in an impatient way to show the damn fox that he was waiting for an answer.

Kyuubi sighed or at least he sighed as best a fox can before responding to the young kits question. "I told you before we used the jutsu that I was not a hundred percent sure how the jutsu would work. I have never used it before we did and as such I only had so much information to give you on it. I can guarantee you that nothing significant is different about this reality from our previous one. The person you are referring to is the same person they were in the past, they would have been brought up the same way, made the same decisions, and ended up in the same condition. The fact that he is now a she makes little difference and I fail to see how this changes your mission. It does not change the fact that you must convince her to join your side or that you need her sensei. It does not change the fact that Orochimaru will attack the Leaf and attempt to destroy your way of life if you do not succeed. This changes nothing except that you now have one more female that you can mate with." replied Kyuubi in a serious tone

Naruto for the most part had been nodding his head in agreement before Kyuubi mentioned the mating part at which point he promptly exploded on the fox. "She the fuck up you stupid fox. I am not going to MATE with Haku. For Christ sakes do you know how weird that would be. I would always remember her being a guy from my past timeline. Not to mention the fact that I am head over heals in loves with Hinata after finding out how much of a bloody moron I was for missing the signs in the past. So you just shut your mouth you damn fur ball." Ranted Naruto.

Naruto went back to pacing yet again while running various thoughts through his head. Kyuubi was correct of course. This changed very little. It might make things a little easier to convince Haku to join them as he could not only play to her kind heartedness that she showed in the previous timeline but he could also play to her natural feminine instincts. Then again it could also make it harder but he wasn't sure. Either way it didn't change any of the vital data as far as he was concerned.

As long as he was sure that he wasn't going to find out that Orochimaru now had twenty times the number of men in his army or something ridiculous like that he was fine with the way things were going. Looking back at Kyuubi briefly again he opted to confirm one more time before calling it a night. "So your sure that were not going to run into a situation where something drastic changes. Like Orochimaru being nice, or Neji smiling or something weird like that?" inquired Naruto with a slight chuckle.

Kyuubi shook his head at the kits bad attempt at a joke before confirming once again that nothing major would be different. Finally Naruto left his mindscape leaving the king of all demons to sleep peacefully for at least a few minutes.

* * *

The next morning Naruto awoke from his sleep and joined his team mates for breakfast. Everybody was feeling much better today then they had the night before. Their headaches were gone and they were all ready to move on with the mission. none of them had shown any improvement in the way of their memories but that was to be expected really so it wasn't any surprise.

The teams were split up and Naruto managed to get the second shift for watch which would start around three in the afternoon which gave him the morning to try his hand with Haku. Kakashi and Kurenai took Sasuke, Kiba and Sakura for the first watch after leaving instructions for the other three to head out and train before their and which time their sensei's would be back to get them.

After making their way into the forest around the house they were staying in the three genin began to train. A few minutes into the training Naruto explained to Hinata where he was going and took off. Hinata told Shino that Naruto was going to do some training by himself and would meet back up with them in a few hours.

In took Naruto nearly twenty minutes to reach the area that he remembered meeting Haku previously. He jumped out of the trees and proceed to run along at a more even pace pretending to be training as to not arouse suspicion from Haku when he came upon her. Nearly ten minutes later Naruto walked into an open clearing and found Haku sitting under a tree seemingly just relaxing the day away. She didn't have her mask on this time and it only confirmed Naruto's suspicions about her gender. She was quite obviously female and once again he found it strange to be looking at the female version of Haku.

Playing it cool Naruto walked into the field as if it was the most normal thing in the world and greeted Haku happily in his usual energetic way. "Hey, how are you doing?" asked Naruto in a loud voice. He remembered his last encounter with this person in this very location and tried to follow along as best he could with that event.

For the next twenty minutes they talked calmly about various things and like the first time he talked with Haku here they got along great. He truly hoped that he could bring her over to their side this time. He didn't want her to die like she had in the past. She was kind hearted not to mention one hell of a ninja and he didn't think there was any reason for her to die. They continued to talk for several minutes longer and finally when an opening in the conversation appeared Naruto turned his back to look up at the sun and asked the question that he knew would give him away and either allow him the opening he needed to bring her around to their side of force him into an open confrontation with her right now.

"Why do you follow Zabuza around and hurt these people like you do Haku?" Naruto asked quietly as he continued to watch the sun. He heard her sharp intake of breath followed almost immediately by the drawing of her senbon needles. "There's no need for those Haku. I didn't come here to fight, I just want to talk. There's plenty of time for fighting if later if that is what truly awaits us. For now grant me this favor. Talk to me like the friend you were a few minutes ago and let us both pretend at least for the time being that the strife between our two sides doesn't exist." Said Naruto calmly in a voice that held just a tinge of sadness.

* * *

Haku stared at the back of this young boy who just the day before she had fought in a vicious battle. true she had not actually been his opponent, he had fought her sensei but they had been enemies. And yet today he acted like a friend. For nearly a half hour they had talked on friendly terms even though she knew who he was. What's more he apparently knew who she was as well and yet they had left their problems on the battle field. Here in this field with the sun shining brightly over their heads they were just two people spending the morning talking about random things and enjoying each others company.

It had been so long since she had a companion other then Zabuza and she had never really had a friend before. Sure Zabuza had always been there for her but it had always been a different kind of relationship. She had been his tool, his weapon and nothing more. She owed him her life and yet she longed for the friendship and easy going conversation that she had been able to share with this young leaf genin so easily this morning.

She wasn't sure that it would last, in fact she sincerely had her doubts that it would last but at least for now, while they sat here in this field she would like nothing more then to have a friend and to continue the easy going conversation and jokes that they had shared. At least for the time being they would forget their differences and enjoy themselves.

* * *

Naruto heard her sigh and let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding when he sensed her putting away the needles. He turned his head slightly to look over his shoulder and caught her eye briefly. She smiled softly at him before sitting back on the ground and leaning against the tree again. She patted the ground in front of her and Naruto took a seat. At least for the time being they could have a normal conversation and not worry about their differences.

"To answer your question Naruto-san I do this because it is what Zabuza wants. I am his tool, I owe him my life for what he did for me as a child and ever since that day I have been his to do with as he pleases. He trained me to be what I am today and because of him I am alive. Where he leads I will follow." Said Haku.

Naruto smiled softly at her before leaning back slightly on his hands. "Haven't you ever wanted more? Wanted to live your own life, to make friends, to do something good for a change. These people don't deserve to live under the tyranny of Gato and they have done nothing to earn the wrath of Zabuza of the mist. This bridge will make the lives of the people in this country much easier. It will improve their way of life. how can you take that from them." asked Naruto as he met her eyes.

Haku shook her head slightly before replying. "I do not want to hurt anyone but I will do what Zabuza requires of me. As I said I owe him my life, he may not be the best man in the world but he is worthy of my gratitude for the things he has done for me. This is my life. I will not deny that I long for friendship. Our conversation earlier is something I will treasure for the rest of my days. It is the first time I can remember since the day my family died that I have ever been able to just talk about whatever comes to mind and not have to worry about the hunter nins find me, or the next battle or any of the hundreds of things that plague my life on a daily basis." replied Haku as she absently twirled a small flower between her fingers.

Naruto nodded thoughtfully for a moment while he tried to think of his next course of action. Steeling himself he looked Haku right in the eye and in a slow and steady voice made his offer.

"Wouldn't you rather live a life without all of that. Wouldn't you rather be able to forget about the hunter nins? Wouldn't you rather be able to make friends, and enjoy your life like you deserve too? I don't know you very well Haku, and I am not exactly the poster child for amazing lives but I do know that I have friends, I know that I will always have a place to call home even if it's a dump, I know that I will never have to worry about looking over my shoulder and wondering if I'm going to find a kunai in my back from a hunter nin. You don't deserve to live the way you do right now Haku. So Zabuza saved your life when you were a kid. Don't you think you have paid your debt?"

"I happen to know for a fact that the Leaf is going to need all the ninja it can get its hands on in the coming years and we would be happy to have you. Hell we would be happy to have Zabuza if the guy would stop trying to kill us for a few minutes and think over the offer. Think it over Haku. I would be honored to call you my friend and even if nobody else did you would still have at least 1 friend. You could life at least some semblance of a normal ninja's life." said Naruto and with that he stood up.

"Think it over Haku. I'm sure we'll meet again. You may not believe this Haku but in the short time that we have known each other I already consider you to be a friend. I don't want to see you die. Don't make the wrong the decision. I hope that the next time we meet I can call you my Comrade." Stated Naruto as he walked away.

* * *

Haku watched as Naruto walked away without looking back as if everything he had just said was the most normal thing in the world. It was odd really. She knew that she owed her life to Zabuza and yet she wasn't sure she could go back to the way things were now that she knew what it was like to have a friend. They had talked for an hour and even though half of that had been a serious conversation it had still be open and easy going. She had felt comfortable talking to the young boy for reasons that she didn't understand. He had a way about him, a way of looking at the world that she found awe inspiring and she found herself wishing that

She could live the life that he described.

It was true that she cared for Zabuza, he was like a father figure to her in some ways but he never truly showed her any kindness. She was his tool and that was as far as it went. He took care of her, training her, and that made sure she was fed but that was it. it was the most basic of things that he did. She would never mind a true friend in him, he just didn't have that in him. She thought that perhaps deep down he cared for her like a daughter but he would never admit it.

And so she sat in the field for the remainder of the day thinking about all that had been said and about how great it was to have somebody to just talk to like she had talked with Naruto. As Haku headed back to Zabuza that night her thoughts were still with the young blond haired boy she had met that morning. Even though she wasn't ready to admit it to herself yet, deep down she knew that she truly wanted the life he had offered her. Perhaps the next time they met she would have the courage to make that dream come true.


	11. Battle at the Bridge

**Author Notes:**

Hello ladies and gentleman. Well to start of my notes I would like to announce that I have just recently acquired a beta reader for my story and I will be re-uploading chapters 1 – 10 sometime within the next few days when I get a chance to go through the process of uploading them properly.

From now on I will be posting each chapter BEFORE it is review by my beta and will upload it again within a few days to a week (just guessing here) based on when my beta gets around to reading the chapter and fixing up my spelling and grammar issues. I hope that this solves the complaints I have been getting about the bad grammar. If you like to get your updates right away then feel free to read with the understanding that it will be as usually, full of grammar mistakes. Otherwise feel free to wait the allotted time and then read the freshly beta read chapter when I upload it again.

Ok with that said lets get onto my actual notes about the story and the reason for the delays thus far. Life has been pretty busy here for me over the past few weeks. I had actually tried to sit down to write this several times already and each time I found myself brought out of my "WRITING MODE" as I call it by one thing or another.

I have finally managed to get the time needed to complete yet another chapter to add to my epic even though it is a far cry from the 2 chapters that I was really hoping to produce this weekend.

This chapter will include the final battle between the Leaf and Haku/Zabuza in the Wave Country. I hope you enjoy this chapter because it is going to be action packed. Lots of fighting and lot of interesting stuff going on. By the end of the chapter the Leaf will be on their way back to Konoha and heading towards the upcoming Chuunin exams.

_**READ BELOW**_

**Ok with all that out of the way I want to get note out to all my readers. I notice that I have something like 400 or so alerts for this story and yet I only tend to get about 20 – 40 reviews a chapter. Now I'm not complaining because hey, I have seen A LOT less reviews for other stories but I would love to hear from everybody. Even if it's just a short "Enjoyed the chapter" or something to that nature it still goes a long way to boosting my spirits and anybody who has written on here will tell you that reviews are a big part of what keeps us authors writing because we like to see that people are enjoying what we are doing as much as we enjoy writing it.**

* * *

**Second Chances**

Chapter Ten: Battle at the Bridge

By Cybergades

* * *

Haku slowly made her way back to the house that her employer, Gato had provided to Zabuza and herself. She had been thinking about Naruto's words for days now and had been silently battling herself for what in her heart she knew she wanted. The problem was that she didn't know if she could ever leave him. He had saved her as a child, raised her almost as his daughter, and trained her into the ninja she was today. If it hadn't been for him she would have died several times over by now.

Of course that wasn't to say that he was exactly the nicest guy in the world. He yelled at her all the time when she messed up, his training was incredibly strenuous and he never really showed any sign of what you would call love for her. When you got right down to it he really only used her. He used her as a tool to help fight his battles and to keep him alive when things got out of hand. He may have saved her, raised her, provided for her, and trained her but he had never loved her and she doubted he ever would.

So the question was did it really matter. Naruto's words had really hit home with her. She was tired of all the running. She was tired of all the constant traveling. She wanted a place to call home. It had been so long since she had something like that and she craved for it so. But it had only gotten worse since her talk with Naruto. In the years past she had been able to simply push the thoughts away and forget about it. That wasn't possible now. His words had stirred something up within her and she desperately wanted what he had to offer.

"_Just imagine. I could have a place to call home, a job as a shinobi for a hidden village, a reprieve from the life of a missing ninja, and the chance to make true friends." _Thought Haku to herself.

Oh how she longed for those things and yet she felt she owed it to Zabuza to stay by his side, to continue to be his tool. He may not have been loving but he had saved her and he had raised and trained her. She owed him her life.

Haku shook her head as she approached the front door of the home they were staying at. These thoughts had been swirling about in her head for days. She had went to that clearing everyday since their talk to see if Naruto would return so that she could talk to him again but he never had. It was likely that the next time they met would be on the battlefield.

Opening the front door and walking inside Haku finally made her decision. It was time to talk to her sensei. She knew that she couldn't leave without at the very least talking to him and even then it was unlikely that she would leave without his permission and blessing. If nothing else she would talk to him and see what he thought. With luck he would agree to come with her and then they could both leave the life of a missing ninja behind.

Haku was brought out of her thoughts by a creepy voice in front of her and she looked up to see her employer and her sensei talking in the living room along with a woman who looked only slightly older then her. Their employer's name was Gato and in her opinion he was a nasty piece of work. He was certainly not the type of person that she would like to work for but her sensei had accepted the work because of the high pay and like always she followed along without question.

The man was nothing more then a common thug and he reminded her of the people who had destroyed her village and killed her family. He only ever did anything for his own gains and he stepped on anybody that got in his way. He seemed to think of himself as the king of the world and the way he looked at her every time they met made her want to be sick. He was a short balding man with a pudgy face. He was overweight and he smelled like he might not have bathed in a week. If only her sensei would just let her kill him, she would be more then happy to do it if only to stop his beady little eyes from looking her over and staring at her chest.

The woman beside him on the other hand she had never met before. She was obviously in her early to mid twenties judging by her height and build and she was quiet obviously a powerful shinobi based on the way she held herself and the sense of power that seemed to permeate her entire being. There was something odd about her but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She just didn't feel right. There was no better way for her to explain it. Every time her eyes landed on Haku she felt a shiver travel up her body. No she most certainly did not like this woman.

Her musings were interrupted when she heard her sensei yell at the fat man. "I don't need your little girl scout here to help me do this job. It's bad enough that I have to have those two idiot brothers you hired help with the final battle but I am not going to have some damn tart that thinks she's a shinobi getting in my way. I want that boy's blood and I don't need any damn help to get it. Do you hear me you little shit?" yelled Zabuza with fire burning in his eyes.

Gato sneered at the ninja in front of him. Who the hell did this guy think he was? He was just some nobody shinobi. He couldn't talk to him like that. He was Gato, the greatest business tyrant in all of wave country. "You work for me and as such you will do as I say or you won't get paid. It's obvious that you need the help because you nearly got yourself killed the last time you battled this group and by a boy no less. A mere child beat the so called great and powerful demon of the mist. Don't make me laugh. Tatsuki here is the most powerful ninja in all of wave country and I'm leaving her with you. I want those Konoha ninja killed, I want that bridge builder destroyed and I want that bridge obliterated. Leave nothing standing. When this is done the wave country will have no choice but to deal through me for their trade and I will once again have a monopoly on all forms of business within wave country." Yelled Gato with spit flying from the corners of his mouth.

Zabuza growled deep in his throat while looking at the two body guards that surrounded Gato before shifting his gaze to the female ninja named Tatsuki whom had yet to speak. Zabuza growled again before whipping out his sword quicker then Gato could react and sliced off the heads of the two guards and then slammed the sword down in front of Gato, mere inches from his feet. "Make no mistake Gato, you will pay me, and you will pay me triple what we agreed upon or I will kill you where you stand. I do not take kindly to being talked down to or ordered around. I will take your little puppet here but don't expect me to look after her. She's on her own and if she gets in my way, I'll kill her myself." Said Zabuza with an evil glint in his eyes before hefting his sword back onto his back and storming out of the room leaving a clearly frightened Gato behind and a somewhat amused Tatsuki.

Haku watched as her sensei stormed out of the room leaving behind their employer, two dead bodyguards and the still emotionless mystery shinobi who was apparently called Tatsuki. She watched as Gato seemed to shake himself out of his stupor, look around at the dead bodies of his staff and rush out of the building as fast as he could leaving them alone to fend for themselves.

Haku looked back to her left towards the room that she knew her sensei had entered where he would no doubt be drinking sake and thinking about all the ways he could kill his enemies before looking forward to where Tatsuki stood watching her. Now was not quite the time to talk with her sensei. She needed to give him a few minutes to cool off and seeing as how she was the more pleasant of the two she might as well try to get some information on the ninja in front of her. They would after all being fighting together.

Walking forward into the living room she approached the emotionless ninja before stopping a half a dozen feet away from her and smiling slightly. They stared at each other for a few minutes before the older woman seemed to get tired of the quite and took a few steps forward before holding out her hand. "There's no point us ignoring each other for the next couple of days. Were going to be working together so we can hate each other's guts like your sensei seems prone to do or we can get along for the duration of this mission and call it a day. Personally I prefer the later of the two. What do you say?" asked Tatsuki.

Haku looked from the woman's face to her outstretched hand and back again before smiling and taking her hand. The two women shook hands before walking over to the couches and pouring some tea for themselves. "So it seems we will be working together so tell me a little bit about yourself and this sensei of yours. What can I expect as your ally?" asked Tatsuki after a few minutes of silence during which time he had drank several sips of her tea. The older women's eyes never left Haku's during all this time.

"My name is Haku, Nakamura Haku." Replied Haku as she smiled again at Tatsuki. Tatsuki smiled back in return before getting a thoughtful look on her face. "I'm told that you have a very powerful kekkei genkai but I have never heard of the Nakamura clan." Replied Tatsuki.

Haku nodded her head and took another sip of her tea before responding. "That doesn't surprise me. My clan was very secretive about its existence and its powers. The village we lived in was deathly afraid of kekkei genkai and all those found to hold them were slaughtered. My mother was the last of our clan to survive and escaped to a nearby village when our clan was annihilated. She married my father and eventually I was born." Stated Haku with sadness in her eyes.

Tatsuki looked thoughtful for a moment before replying. "So where is your mother and father now?" inquired Tatsuki with genuine interest. Haku smiled sadly before replying. "Dead. I was only a child when I found out that I had inherited my mother's gift and without knowing better I revealed it to my father while playing around with my new found powers. My mother you see had been hiding her powers for years by this time and my father never knew. So when he found out he got scared and gathered a mob. They killed my mother and came for me. In a moment of panic I created a field of icicles and skewered them all. for the next while I wondered around alone until I came across Zabuza-sensei one day and he took me in. he trained me and supported me and I have been with him ever since. So you see I am the last of my clan and it does not surprise me in the least that you don't know of them." responded Haku before taking another long sip of her tea.

Tatsuki looked at the young women for a moment before sighing. "I am sorry for your loss Haku. I too know what it's like to loose your family. Like you I have an incredible power that was feared and at the same time widely sought after in my village. I guess for the lack of a better term at the time you could call it a kekkei genkai of sorts. I however was much older when my family died so I at least had time to enjoy their company. I'm from the Yoshida Clan. I like you am the last of my clan. As I said the power which I posses was both feared and sought after and it eventually lead to the destruction of my clan and the death of my entire family. It is however fortunate that those seeking me believed I died with my family and as such I have been left alone for the last several years." Stated Tatsuki.

"So tell me about this sensei of yours. I of course have heard of him. I was after all once from the mist but I am curious to hear what you have to say. I am surprised to hear that he took you in." said Tatsuki who was clearly surprised. "Well you see it all started when…" and Haku began to tell the full story of how she had come to be with Zabuza and the life that she had lived since. In the hours that followed they talked about many things and Haku thought for the second time in the last several days that she may have made a friend.

Several hours later Haku looked out the window and noticed that it was already night. She still wanted to talk with Zabuza and she hoped that perhaps now he would have calmed down a bit. Getting up and excusing herself from their conversation Haku explained that she needed to speak with her sensei before going to bed for the night to prepare for tomorrows battle. Tatsuki nodded in understanding and left the room in the opposite direction.

Haku made her way into the room where she could hear her sensei and prepared herself for the conversation she new she had to have. She had never really liked the philosophy of a ninja and yet she enjoyed the job. She was good at what she did and she constantly strived to preserve life. This however was often difficult as a missing ninja since a lot of the jobs they got required that you kill. It was one of the many reasons that she wanted to take up Naruto on his offer.

Walking up to her sensei she bowed slightly before knelling in front of him. "Zabuza-sensei may I have permission to speak freely?" inquired Haku quietly. Zabuza looked down from his seat on the couch in his room at his student with a dangerous glint in his eye. Had Haku been looking she would have noticed that this was certainly not the time to be speaking with him but unfortunately she was not and as such she missed the look he gave her. The sake had taken its effect on the Demon of the Mist and unlike some people he did not get sluggish or happy when he was drunk but rather he got down right nasty. He grunted his response in the affirmative before leaning over and taking another bottle of sake from the table beside the couch and drinking directly from the bottle.

Haku swallowed deeply and let out a deep breath before beginning. If she was truthful with herself she was terrified of what his answer would be and she did not know what she would do if he refused her. "Sensei… many years ago you took me in when I was a child and had no where to go. You have raised me as your own and trained me to be the shinobi I am today and for that I am grateful. But I no longer wish to live this life. I tire of the life of a missing Nin. Always running from the hunter Nins and never staying in one place long. I wish to have a place to call home; I wish to have friends and perhaps one day a family." Said Haku while looking at the floor.

Once again she missed the glint in Zabuza's eyes as he looked down on the girl that was his student with something akin of loathing. In his drunken state he found himself getting angrier by the moment with this betrayal. She dared to wish for anything else that to be his loyal servant, his tool in battle. Who did she think she was? He continued to rage in his mind while he grunted his response once again for her to continue. All the while the glint in his eyes getting more intense.

Haku breathed deeply again unaware of the danger that was right in front of her and continued with her story. "Several days ago while I was out gathering supplies I stopped in clearing not far from here to rest for a while. While there I met with the young boy that we fought weeks ago. He is obviously more then he appears to be and has great power. Even though I looked nothing like I did during out battle he still knew it was me and what's more he did not fear Me." continued Haku.

"Sensei he has offered sanctuary within the leaf. A possibility at a new life, an end to the constant attacks by hunter Nins and an end to the life of a missing Nin. He offers it freely with no string attached to both of us sensei. I am forever grateful for what you have done for me sensei and I have served you fatefully for many years. Now I wish to have the chance of a normal life, a life without running, and without so much death. Will you come with me to the leaf sensei?" finished Haku as she continued to look at the floor.

During her entire speech Zabuza felt his anger continue to boil as he thought of how totally his would be student had betrayed him. She had spoken with his enemy but not just any enemy. No she had spoken with the very boy who had so thoroughly defeated him and whom had made a complete fool out of him. And now she had the audacity to come to him and beg him to go to the leaf with her and be nothing but their puppets. At last in his drunken state Zabuza could take no more. A moment after she finished her speech he was on his feet and before he could even think about it he threw out his hand and slammed his fist into her face sending her careening across the room into the wall.

Just when Haku thought she had succeeded in getting what she want her sensei jumped to his feet. He barely had a moment to think about what was happening before his fist slammed into her face sending her flying across the room and slamming into the wall just beside the door. She pulled herself up to her feet shakily but before she could assess the situation he was upon her again and this time she received a strong kick to the side sending her flying across the room again where she slammed into several shelves before falling to the ground and with the contents of the shelves showering over her. Slinking away from him in an effort to placate his rage she heard him start to yell in a voice which she had only ever heard directed at his enemies and never at her.

"You think you can just leave me you wench. You would be dead without me. I am Zabuza of the Mist, the Demon of the hidden mist. Nobody crosses me and lives. I took you in, raised you and trained you into the shinobi you are today and this is how you show your respect you ungrateful runt. You betray me to the very ninja who nearly killed me. To the boy who made a complete fool of me. No I will not go to the Leaf and neither will you. In fact you're not going anywhere you bitch." Screamed Zabuza with murder in his eyes. Zabuza hefted his sword and Haku quickly tried to right herself to attempt a defense even though she knew that it was too late. At the last moment before the blade came crashing down she heard the door burst open and her sensei was sent hurtling across the room into the couch he had been sitting on causing it to tip over backwards spilling the drunken Zabuza onto the floor.

"I believe that will be enough Zabuza of the Mist. If you wish you kill your subordinate then that is your choice but you will not lay a finger on her until after this missing is complete. You were both hired to do a job as was I. and together we will do so. if after wards you still wish to fight her then be my guest although you may find that she is no so easy a target when she is not knelling at your feet." Stated Tatsuki firmly and harshly.

By this time Zabuza was on his feet staring at the women. He sneered at both of them before putting his sword back down at returning to his sake. A moment later the two women left the room to call it a night. Haku for her part thanked the older ninja for her assistance and left for bed while thinking about her sensei's words. Had she really betrayed him? Was it so bad to want to live she did not know. These thoughts continued to plague her as she drifted to sleep thinking of what the battle tomorrow would bring.

* * *

Tatsuki sat in her room sipping on a cup of tea after retiring for the night. The conversation between herself and Haku swirled in her mind as did thoughts of her past. The two had much in common and it had not been since before her family had died that she felt a connection like she did with Haku. They were kindred spirits in a sense. Both had been scared by the tragedies of their lives and both had survived only to persevere while continuing to live and become stronger. She like herself had known the sorrow of having everybody you knew fear and despise you and your family for something you had no control over.

They had really hit it off earlier today and had gotten to know each other quite well which was extremely unusual for ninja in their positions. Tatsuki had survived by being emotionless and distancing herself from any and all ties that she might form with others. She had done this well for many years but she could not seem to do so now. Because when she looked into the face of Haku she saw herself as she was many years ago and she could simply not turn that connection, that friendship away.

Then there was the conversation which she had overheard from outside Zabuza's room between him and Haku before she had been forced to intervene to save the girls life. Haku had briefly mentioned a young boy whom she had met recently and become friends of sorts by the name of Naruto. She had not mentioned much further then that but it had been obvious to her that it was an issue of importance to her and it had been only moments after that in which she had excused herself to talk to her sensei. If she was correct in her assumptions the boy she was talking about would be the same boy whom she had discussed with Zabuza and whom she had heard had been able to systematically destroy Zabuza in their battle.

This in itself interested her greatly because she had to admit that from what she had seen and understood about Zabuza of the mist he was not exactly a push over. In fact he was anything but and for a boy, a genin if the news was to be believed to be able to defeat him so brutally said a lot about the boy's skill. Still there was something strange about it all. Things just did not match up. For the brief moments that Haku had talked about him it appeared as if he was gentle and kind hearted. And if her conversation with Zabuza was to be believed he was even concerned for her, a stranger of whom he had only met once before… in battle no less.

What's more is he had been able to trounce Zabuza so easily, based on what Haku had explained about the fight it had been almost entirely one sided except for when he was distracted by protecting his allies. If this was true then why had he not simply killed them, if he could defeat Zabuza so easily without trying to seriously injure or kill him then that meant that he was holding back a fair bit? It was all so confusing. The boy seemed to be an enigma. He was anything but a normal shinobi. He was a genin and yet he had the strength, speed, and power of at least a jonin perhaps higher and he seemed hesitant to kill.

The most interesting thing she had learned tonight however was about this supposed offer to return to the leaf and receive sanctuary. If she had not heard of how thoroughly this genin had trashed Zabuza and Haku he would have thought it just empty boosting but it was extremely unlikely that somebody with that kind of power and skill and with the kind of morals he seemed to display would lie, let alone about something this serious. Which brought up the question of just who was he to have the power to offer such a deal.

Nothing about this boy made any sense at all and yet she was inclined to believe everything she had heard from Haku because the girl did not seem to be lying, nor did she appear to be the type of person who would do such a thing. If the offer was true then it was extremely interesting not only to Haku but to herself as well. She however would not be so quick to choose. As much as she would love to settle down again she would not rush blindly into another village after what had happened in her previous home. The power within her was highly sought after by ninjas the world wide and they would no doubt find out about it quickly enough if she went to this village. She would have to gather more information about the boy, his offer, and the village he was from before she even considered making a choice.

With these thoughts and more continuing to swirl through her mind Tatsuki resigned herself to the fact that she was not likely to get to sleep for many hours to come. Tomorrow would mark the day of the battle and she would get her chance to meet this Naruto herself. Perhaps then she would find out more.

* * *

Naruto lay in bed that night thinking about battles yet to come and the fate that he so desperately wished to protect his precious people from. In a matter of months war would befall Konoha and with it would come the death of so many innocent people. He wanted so badly to protect them, to shield his village from the evil that would soon descend upon them and yet he knew not how to do it. Time was not on his side. It marched forward like an unstoppable force and no matter what he did he knew that he would soon have to face his enemies once again.

The fact was that if he did not stop the invasion this time or at the very least reduce the damages that it would be the first nail in their coffin. Konoha had never recovered from the failed invasion in his previous timeline. They had been weakened from that point forward and each new battle from then forward just chipped away a little more until they finally fell to their knees. He had to prevent that from happening again. if he wished for Konoha to survive but more then that if he wished for the Sound and Orochimaru to be defeated then he would need to prevent the invasion from getting to far and he would need to build up the strength of Konoha over the next few years so that when the time came they would be able to crush the sound once and for all.

This thought was one of many that scared him more then he would ever let on. The simple fact was that even though he knew he had to protect his friends, and prevent the war he did not know how. With every moment that passed he felt more and more helpless. He had traveled back in time to change the fate of his village, no the world and yet he did not have a plan. The only thing he had been able to come up with so far was to recruit Haku and Zabuza and see to it that the Sannin were in the village during the chuunin exams.

There were so many questions he did not have the answers too. How would he prevent Orochimaru from killing the old man? How would he deal with the invasion force which caused the weakening of the village's forces that ultimately lead to its destruction? How would he get Tsunade to stay in the village and take over as Hokage with the old man alive? These and so many other questions plagued Naruto to no end.

Naruto would never admit it to Hinata or any of his friends but he was terrified of what was to come. There was not a moment that went by that his fear of failure did not threaten to overwhelm and consume him. It was something that he feared constantly. He was terrified that when the time came he would once again be unable to protect those who were dear to him and that history would repeat itself.

He often found himself thinking that it would be simpler to just give in to the fear, to accept that fate had already woven its web and that history would simply see fit to repeat itself once again. It was during these times that he thanked god for the support of the ones he loved. His mind would drift to his friends, his family, and instantly he would force these dark thoughts away. It was for them that he fought, to ensure that they had a future to look forward to and that he could live it with them.

Like always Naruto pushed these thoughts aside to think on the task at hand. As much as the future worried him he knew that the only way to keep from breaking under the strain was to focus on each task as it arrived and to ensure their success. There would be time enough for plans after this mission. Naruto thought back to his conversation with Haku earlier that week. It had gone about as well as he thought it would. In the end he felt that he had at least been able to get her to listen to him. Weather that meant she would accept his offer and return to Konoha with him, or if she would be able to convince Zabuza was a completely different story.

The bridge was nearing completion and if events held true to the past timeline then tomorrow would be the day the final battle would take place once again. He prayed that this time he would not have to kill his new friend. He prayed that he would be able to protect all his friends both new and old. But most of all he prayed that he would be able to protect Hinata. As strong as she had become she was still not much of a match for Haku or Zabuza. He feared for her in a way that he had never feared for anyone in his life. He knew that it was because of the feelings that he felt for her that he suffered from this fear but even so he could not push her or his feelings away. The fear of loosing her again burned within him and he vowed to himself that he would not let anything happen to her. Above all else he would keep her safe even if it meant sacrificing somebody else.

Naruto's thoughts continued to swirl about in every direction as he drifted closure to sleep. This would be the first big step towards changing the future and he felt the anxiety build up within him. He wondered if Haku would find it in her heart to accept what she knew was true and leave behind the life she had come to know for a chance at a better one. If truth be told he did not think that Zabuza would come but he still held hope that at the very least Haku could be spared her fate.

Naruto wondered if when the time came if he would be able to kill her if events called for it. Could he leave her to her fate should she try to sacrifice herself for Zabuza again? If he was honest with himself he really didn't know the answers to these questions. Despite his knowledge of the future he could not tell what this battle would bring. He imagined that only time would tell and that when the time came he would act on his gut feelings like he always did. He only hoped that he would not come to regret that decision.

The last thoughts that passed through his mind as sleep claimed him was that whatever happened he would face it with the unyielding strength and determination that he had always faced his battles with and that he would do everything in his power to see his mission to fulfillment.

* * *

The Next morning Naruto got up with the sun and prepared himself for what he was sure was to come today. Of his entire team the only ones that knew about the attack today were himself and Hinata. He had thought of telling Kakashi but in the end he did not believe that the jonin would be able to look at the situation in the same way Naruto did and would ultimately change some detail which could potentially be disastrous for the outcome. No today it had to appear as if they were completely unaware of what was coming and when the attack came Naruto would be ready.

A few hours later the team as a whole left for the bridge with the bride builder in tow, they were set on completing the bridge today even though Naruto knew that the battle today would prevent that from happening. It would still be possible to finish tomorrow. As they had discussed Hinata and Naruto worked on opposite sides of the bridge to provide maximum protection to the rest of their team for the few moments it would take for them to realize what was happening.

* * *

That morning Haku had woken up with several bruises scattered across her body and thoughts whirling within her head. Her dreams had been plagued with visions of her betraying her sensei and dieing a horrible death for it. She had dreamt of the day that they had meet and how he had taken her in. Her dreams had then changed to showing her new friends Naruto and Tatsuki sneering down at her and calling her worthless and honor less. They had yelled and screamed at her before turning their backs on her and walking away claiming that anybody who would betray their sensei was less then scum.

All night her dreams had plagued her and by the time she woke she had tears in her eyes. Her decision had been made for her as far as she was concerned. Her sensei, her master had denied her the life she wanted and she could not go against him. Even asking him yesterday had been taken as a betrayal and she knew now that she would have to give up that dream and continue to be the tool that she had been since the day she meet Zabuza.

These thoughts continued to race through her mind all that morning as she went through her morning routines and prepared herself mentally and physically for the battle that was to come. By noon their group was prepared to head to the bridge where they knew the bridge builder would be along with at least a portion of the Konoha team protecting him. They had staked out the location for some time now and everyday like clockwork they would show up. The Bridge builder would show up with several members of the Konoha team in tow for his protection and to aid in the construction.

It was for this reason that they were surprised to find not just the bridge builder and 4 members of the Konoha team as their usually was but in fact the whole 8 man cell. They were currently hiding several hundred yards away and watching their opponents, trying to decide what the best course of action would be. They had planned on fighting 4 ninja not 8. This would make things slightly more difficult. She was about to ask what they were going to do when her sensei spoke up.

"Well, well, well… what do we have here? It looks like were going to have the pleasure of killing the lot of them instead of just half. Oh how my day is looking up." Stated Zabuza followed by an evil chuckle. He smiled to the group of them before handing out assignments to the ninja's surround him whom he considered to be nothing more then useless fools.

"With the 8 of them things will be slightly more challenging then we assumed. Haku I want you to take the Uchiha and the Hyuuga. The blond brat is mine. Which leaves the remaining genin to you two fools if you think you can handle it and the jonin to our new babysitter here." sneered Zabuza with a look of disgust on his face as he addressed the demon brothers and Tatsuki.

He was about to move forward when he was brought up short by the next words. "I think not." said Tatsuki as she stepped forward. "You obviously can't handle the boy which is why I am here. He kicked your ass last time, what makes you think you can handle him now." laughed Tatsuki in a mocking tone. "No… I will take the boy and you will deal with the two jonin… perhaps they will be more to your skill level. Try not to get yourself killed." Mocked Tatsuki before nodding to the others and moving forward.

Zabuza for his part was furious at being talked down to like that but did not have time to react to her words. Before he could say anything to contradict her, she had already rushed forward followed less then a moment later by his other 3 comrades. Zabuza growled deep in his throat before rushing forward after them. He would deal with the two jonin first and then he would kill the boy and this new woman. She would pay for talking to him like that.

* * *

Naruto was starting to get worried. They had been here for hours now and nothing had happened. He was beginning to think that perhaps things had changed and the date of the attack would change, or perhaps it wouldn't happen at all. He was just about to call over to Kakashi and suggest they take a break when he felt it. Years of combat experience during that brutal war had honed his senses. In fact they were honed far more then that of any other shinobi. Combine that with his already increased senses provided by the Kyuubi and he was able to pick up on things that none of his other team mates could. Naruto stiffened for only the briefest of moments and then continued working as if nothing had happened while quickly giving Hinata the signal they had agreed upon earlier that day to notify each other of the coming attack if one noticed it before the other.

They had expected Haku and Zabuza to show up and Naruto had already decided that he would deal with Zabuza himself and leave Haku to Hinata and the others. It was for this very reason that he was so surprised when two but five ninja landed on the bridge and charged forward. Naruto had just enough time to take into account that things had obviously changed from his knowledge of the future before he was forced to jump into action to deflect several kunai that had been aimed at Sakura and Shino, which had been sent by who he now clearly recognized as the demon brothers.

Naruto was about to change his plan and help his genin friends deal with the demon brothers while leaving Zabuza and the other women he didn't recognize to Kakashi and Kurenai when he was forced to back pedal quickly to avoid a shower of shuriken and kunai. Looking to his left he saw the women that he did not recognize charging towards him. Naruto had just enough time to through up his arms in a typical block before a powerful kick slammed into him sending him skidding back several feet.

Instantly Naruto knew there was something different about the woman in front of him. He could feel it to his very core. The only time he had ever felt like this before was when he was around demon host, a Jinchuuriki. This revelation startled Naruto and gave him pause for a moment.

Seeing the boy pause for a moment Tatsuki took advantage of the situation and rushed for again, slamming her fist into the side of the boys head a moment before he could react to her actions. She was starting to wonder just what was so special about this boy. How had he been able to beat Zabuza when he could barely protect himself from her when she was only just getting started?

Naruto skidded flew back across the bridge from the force of the punch he had just received and quickly shook himself of his thoughts. He didn't have time to think about that right now. If he kept letting his thoughts rule his mind he would get killed long before he was able to prevent anything from happening to his village and friends. Naruto watched as the women rushed forward for a third time preparing and went low for a leg sweep but this time Naruto was ready for her.

Jumping over her legs Naruto back pedaled slightly before firing off a barrage of kunai and quickly rushing through a series of hand seals and yelling out **"Kage kunai no jutsu"**. Naruto watched as the half a dozen kunai that he had thrown at the kunoichi in front of him multiplied over and over again until there were nearly a hundred kunai flying towards their slightly surprised target.

Tatsuki was slightly taken aback when she watched as the young boy in front of her used what was clearly an A-rank jutsu to multiply his handful of kunai into a barrage of kunai. Acting quickly Tatsuki used the replacement technique to get out of the way of the kunai before jumping back into the fight.

Naruto watched as the kunai hit there mark before spinning around and sidestepping a powerful kick that he knew was coming. Spinning on his heel Naruto threw out his elbow and attempted to slam it into the back of his opponents' head. She ducked under the blow and slammed her fist into his stomach causing him to poof out of existence a moment before her feet were taken out from under her.

Tatsuki's feet flew out from under her the moment after the clone disappeared in a cloud of smoke catching her completely by surprised. She had but a moment to think on this fact before a powerful kick slammed into her back launching her into the air where another copy of the boy appeared and like the one before him slammed his foot into her back sending her even higher into the air.

Just as she reached the peak of her height she watched as the boy flashed into existence in front of her, seemingly coming out of nowhere and somersaulted in the air before bringing his foot flying towards her at startling speed. At the last possible moment Tatsuki tucked her legs in, grabbed a hold of the blonds shoulders while pushing a great deal of chakra into her stomach the instant before the kick landed. The chakra reduced the damage caused by the kick and her new position allowed her to use the momentum of the new attack to roll herself in the air so that she was on top and Naruto was below her while they both rocketed towards the ground. The instant before they hit the ground Tatsuki slammed both her feet into the blond's stomach increasing his descent towards the ground and pushing herself away from him and to the side.

Tatsuki landed off to the side and rolled on her shoulder to reduce the force of the impact while the she watched the boy slam into the ground with an incredible force and shoot right through the bridge to the water below. No sooner had she gotten to her feet then did the blond appear in front of her out of no where yet again and slam his fist into her face sending her hurtling back and over the railing of the bridge. Just as she thought she was going to fall the same boy appeared behind her in her path and slammed an earth shattering kick into her side sending her careening back towards the bridge.

For the next few moments this continued with her flying in one direction only to have the blond appear out of thin air and land a powerful blow on her causing her to change direction. In essence she was nothing more then a human pinball and she was getting sick of it. Finally after what must have been a dozen rounds of the same she felt her body slam hard into the side of the bridge causing her to slump sideways as she tried to catch her breath.

Slowly staggering to her feet and couching up blood she was startled when she looked into the blonds eyes and instead of meeting the normal ocean blue she was meet with the disturbing sight of blood red eyes. It was at this moment that she noticed the red chakra flowing off him in waves and the singular red tail that flew behind him in the wind. They were on the complete opposite side of the bridge and mist covered the area further down blocking out the sites but not the sounds of the obvious battles taking place.

She watched as the boy in front of her stepped forward casually now with an air of indifference about him as if he didn't have a worry in the world. She suddenly realized what the feeling had been that she had been experiencing since the moment she laid eyes on him. He was a Jinchuuriki just like her, and it was obvious by the way her tenant was squirming and whimpering in her stomach that he was far more powerful and dangerous then she could ever be. For only the second time in her life Tatsuki felt real fear flood her entire being as she stared into the bottomless blood red eyes of the ninja in front of her.

She was startled out of her thoughts when a voice unlike what she expected to hear from the person standing in front of her began to speak. Unlike the voice of death and hate that she expected to hear, his voice was filled with a peaceful calm and it was almost soothing. "Why do you work for the likes of Gato? Why stoop to his level with the power you posses. By your reaction I can only assume that you know what I hold with in me. Or at the very least you know that it and I am more powerful then you. I do not wish to kill you. Leave now or better yet join me and our battle can end here." said Naruto as he continued to walk towards the woman in front of him.

Tatsuki stared in shock at the boy before replying. "I work for who I must to survive. You better then any must know the life that awaits us. There are those who seek our power and are willing to kill for it. My entire family was killed for what I hold within me. I do what I must to survive." Replied Tatsuki defiantly.

Naruto stared into her eyes as the red chakra began to dissipate and the tail behind him disappeared into thin air while his eyes returned to their usual bright blue. "Yes I, like you know of those who would seek us out only to kill us and steal our powers. I know of the hate that we suffer at the hands of those who know what we are and what we hold in side of us. But I also know that not everybody wishes to use our power for their own selfish needs, I know that not everybody will hate us. I see by your head band that you are a missing Nin. Why continue to live on the run when you can have a home again. Come with me, return to the Leaf and leave this life behind. Our kind must stick together if we hope to survive. Together we are stronger then apart." Replied Naruto with determination and power in his voice.

Tatsuki smirked at his words before laughing and getting into a battle stance. "Well aren't you full of yourself. I don't care what my demon says, you're nothing more then the poster boy for the leaf, out recruiting for one reason or another. You're just a genin and you expect me to be afraid of you." laughed Tatsuki while trying to put on a strong front and cover her fear.

"I was hired to do this job and I intend to do it. I may not like my employer but he pays well and for a missing Nin like me that's what's important. All these words about needing to stick together are just a load of crap and you know it. You just want to use my power for your own benefit just like you want to use Haku. Tell you what though kid, I'll let you leave now and high tale it back to your beloved Konoha if you beat it now." mocked Tatsuki in what she hoped sounded like a confident voice.

Despite the words Naruto could smell her fear and knew that she was just trying to put up a strong front. Shaking his head sadly Naruto got into a battle stance. It looked like there was no way around it. He would need to prove to her his intentions and the only way to do that was to beat the truth into her.

* * *

Across the bridge Hinata caught the signal from Naruto an instant before their opponents were upon them. She watched as Naruto was shot across the bridge but an older room and then slammed into the ground after a failed attempt at his Uzumaki Rendan combo. That however was all she caught as a moment later the battle field was flooded with mist and she was forced out of her thoughts when she had to dodge a barrage of senbon needles. All around her she could hear the battle waging as she looked into the masked face of the young girl that she knew was named Haku. The very same girl that Naruto so desperately wanted to bring over to their side in an effort to strengthen their forces for the upcoming battle.

It was only fitting really that she be one of the people fighting her since she was one of only 2 people who know that they had to do everything possible to bring her over to their side. She was just about to move forward when she felt a presence by her side. Turning she came face to face with Sasuke who was looking grimly at the girl in front of them, a look of determination on his face.

"It seems that it's up to us to take her down. Kakashi and Kurenai are dealing with Zabuza of the mist while Sakura, Kiba, and Shino are dealing with two chuunin. Naruto of course is off dealing with somebody all himself. He just has to play the hero." Grumbled Sasuke as he dropped into a battle stance. Hinata nodded her head before following suit and activating her family bloodline. She would not let her Naruto-kun down. In the end Haku would come over to their side. Even if she had to beat her into submission.

Both genin were aware of the fights going on around them as they rushed forward, dodging volley after volley of senbon needles. They knew that there was nothing they could do for their team mates right now. For the moment they were on there own and so were their team mates. Each had their own job to do and they intended to do it.

* * *

Sakura dodged to the left quickly as a razor sharp claw which was dripping with poison shoot past her before slamming her fist into her opponents face sending him flying into the side of the bridge where he was met with a series of powerful blow from Kiba before he could recover. A short distance away Shino was dodging left and right to avoid the attacks of their other opponent while his bugs slowly drained said opponent of his chakra.

Their battle had been going on for about ten minutes now. After the initial surprise had wore off the three genin had been able to regroup and launch a counter attack on the pair of chuunin class ninja who had attacked them. To their far left they had seen their sensei's fighting with Zabuza of the Mist before he had blanketed the field in a rolling mist making it more difficult to see more then a dozen feet in any direction.

Likewise they had noticed Sasuke and Hinata begin their battle with Zabuza's apprentice and Naruto begin his battle with a women whom none of them had ever seen before. Now with the fog in place all they could do was focus on their own battles and list to the ones raging around them.

* * *

Kakashi dodged Zabuza's sword once again as the battles continued to rage around them. He was worried about his students as was Kurenai. He knew that Hinata had been training extensively with Naruto so at the very least he thought she would be able to survive her battle with the missing Nin she was facing. Sasuke however was another story. Like the rest of their team he was still recovering from the poison which had infected them during their last battle. His body may have remembered the training but his mind did not and as such he was little more then an advanced genin going up against what was obviously a jonin.

The same could be said about Sakura, Shino, and Kiba who were currently locked in battle with the Demon Brothers, two chuunin worked quite well together. Naruto on the other hand was off dealing with the women who had joined the group of missing Nin by himself. He at least Kakashi was not worried about. The young genin seemed to be more then able to take care of himself and if what he had said was true then he had plenty of experience behind him.

With these thoughts in mind Kakashi turned back to his own battle as she dodged once again and began racing through seals to match those of Zabuza. Finishing the seals at the same time as Zabuza they both shouted in unison **"****Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu". **A moment later two massive walls of water shoot up from the body of water below and raced towards the two jonin. When they meet in the middle causing a huge explosion of water neither opponent was fazed in the slightest as they rushed towards each other preparing for battle again.

Kakashi ducked under a swing from Zabuza's sword before bringing his fist barreling towards his face causing the water clone to burst apart. Spinning on his heal Kakashi blocked the sword rushing towards his head with a kunai before kicking the real Zabuza in the chest sending him flying backwards directly into Kurenai's path who launched a volley of kunai and began doing seals for her trademark genjutsu.

Before she could finish however Zabuza had blocked the kunai with his sword and launched a vicious punch at her face causing her to skid backwards along the bridge. At once she launched herself forward with a kunai in hand and met Kakashi in the middle. The two of them began launching a serious of lightning fast combo's which forced Zabuza onto the defensive as he desperately tried to defend himself from the constant attacks.

* * *

Naruto dropped into a battle stance as he looked over the women's shoulder towards the ever growing sounds of battle. He was worried about Hinata and Sasuke. He needed to get this over and done with quickly or he would end up failing in his missing. Looking back at the women in front of him he smiled sadly at her.

"I am sorry that it has come to this. But I can not waste anymore time on you. My friends need me and I have a mission of great important to complete. Let us get this battle over with quickly so that I may prove to you that I bare no ill will towards you and that you can trust me as a potential comrade." Said Naruto confidently.

Tatsuki smirked back at the boy before beginning to access her own tenants' power. "You will find that I am not quite so easy to beat my dear boy. I don't know which of the great beasts you hold within you but I hold the six tailed weasel Rokubi no Raijuu, commonly known as the god of lighting. Come and face our wrath." Screamed Tatsuki as bright yellow chakra began to seep from her body and flow of her in waves much the way Naruto's had been doing only moments before.

Naruto watched as one after another four glowing tails made of the thick yellow chakra formed behind her. Wind rushed around her causing her hair and tails to flap wildly in the wind as loose dust and debris from their previous battle floated into the air and was blown away. And then she was gone. Before Naruto could even blink he was slammed backwards by a punch of unimaginable strength and his vest was singed from where electricity had been forced into him through the punch.

Naruto flew backwards and skidded to a stop before receiving a vicious kick to the head which sent him flying over the side of the bridge where he began to fall to the water below. Before he even made it half way however Tatsuki appeared above him and launched a flurry of punches sending him rocketing faster then ever before towards the water. When he hit the surface the water shoot upwards from the force and he rocketed to the bottom where he slammed into the ground with enough force to make a crater nearly twenty feet in diameter and ten feet wide.

Tatsuki stood atop the water smiling wickedly as she looked down upon the place where she had just watched the boy plummet through the waters surface. Her smirk fell a moment later however as an eerie red glow began to form below the surface of the water making the entire look like it was blanketed in blood instead of water.

Just as he had in their previous battle the boy appeared out of know where almost before the water exploded outwards to signal his appearance. Before even a single drop of water hit her from the outward explosion she was lifted off the surface of the water as the boy slammed his shoulder into her stomach and rocketed the pair of them towards the underside of the bridge where she took the full brunt of the impact when they blasted through the bridge and came out overtop of it.

As she hung in mid air more then a hundred feet above the surface of the bridge she looked on in fear as the blood red eyes she had seen previously appeared less then a foot from her face and behind the boys head she could see four blood red tails flapping in the wind as he screamed out the name of his next attack **"Fūton: Rasengan".**

A moment later her eyes widened in fear as she felt an incredible pressure on her chest before once again she was rocketed towards the surface of the bridge where she slammed into the bridge and burst through the other side still traveling at incredible speeds causing her to race through the surface of the water and slam into the bottom just as her opponent had moments before.

What she did not expect however was for him to follow her. Less then a second after she hit bottom, with a tunnel still present in the water above her she watched as Naruto flew through the tunnel in the water and slammed his feet into her chest casing her to borrow further into the ground before the water rushed in around them.

Tatsuki lay on the bottom of the lake in a crater nearly fifty feet deep and at least twice that wide with blood floating from her mouth towards the surface. Her vision was going black in front of her and she realized now just what a fool she had been. He had offered her a way out and she had thrown it back in his face and now she was going to die for it.

The last thing she saw before the darkness claimed her was the blue sun hanging in the blue sky and a bright green glow out of the corners of her eyes.

Naruto dragged the women back to the surface of the water and jumped up onto the bridge above where he lay her down and quickly did some basic healing jutsus to aid her in her recovery. He knew that her chakra would do most of the work but in her current state she could use all the help she could get. He had gone a little overboard he knew but he had found it hard to concentrate on controlling his animalistic tendencies when his concentration was not on his own fight but on those of his friends. His battle with this woman had taken him nearly half an hour and judging by the sounds of the surrounding area he knew that the other battles were winding down.

* * *

Hinata startled at the sounds and chakra coming from the far end of the bridge. All she could see was a blood red tinge to the mist in that direction and she could feel two unbelievable forces coming from that area. If the sounds were any sort of indication then Naruto was in a battle of epic proportions. She was sure that when this was over she would find the surround area in ruins and she feared for what condition she would find her Naruto-kun in.

Turning back to her own battle she cursed herself for her lack of concentration as a volley of senbon needles embedded themselves in her shoulder. They were not exactly having a good time of it right now. A few minutes into their battle when Haku had realized that she was going to have problems with them she had used a jutsu of which she had only ever heard of from Naruto. He had warned her about this jutsu and told her that if at all possible she should prevent Haku from using it. Even so she had been to slow and had been unable to prevent herself and Sasuke from being trapped within the middle of the field of ice mirrors.

For the last twenty minutes of so they had battled her to the best of their abilities in what was obviously a loosing battle. They had landed but a few blows on her and only after Sasuke had managed to awaken the first stage of his own blood limit. Together with their respective limits they had been able to track her more effectively and land a series of blows on their opponent before she retreated back to the safety of her mirrors.

They had both taken serious blows from Haku and it was obvious to both of them that without help they were going to loose this battle. Once again Hinata dodged to the right to avoid a series of needles before dashing forward and attempting to land a strike on the retreating form of Haku. At the last moment just when Haku was about to reach her mirror Hinata grabbed her leg and pulled her back.

Haku spun around and launched a large volley of senbon needles which completely missed Hinata causing her to smile as she slammed her open hand into Haku's stomach and pushing chakra through her hand. She was about to follow up with another blow when Haku launched herself into her mirror before rapidly going through a series of hand seals. Quickly water rose up from the surface of the bridge and began to form into needles all around Hinata. Hinata immediately recognized the jutsu and fear started to take over as Naruto was not here to save her this time. At the last moment just before the jutsu was about to complete itself she felt herself being pushed out of the way and looked to her side to see Sasuke standing where she just had a moment earlier. She had just enough time to scream out his name before the spikes of ice rained down on him from all directions causing him to drop to the ground unconscious.

Before Hinata could react another volley of needles flew from a nearby mirror and skewered her legs making it impossible for her to do anything but crawl away from her slowly approaching opponent.

"Why… why have you been fighting us? I thought Naruto-kun talked to you, I thought you wanted out of this life. Why do you continue to live this life when a better one is available?" asked Hinata as she continued to back away as best she good. Just then she felt the two chakra forces in the distance disappear and her heart stopped. What had happened? Had Naruto been beaten? Had he won and just reduced his powerful chakra. Fear permeated her entire being as she though of everything that was happening.

She didn't know where Naruto was, what had happened to him and she didn't know what was going to happen to her and Sasuke either. The battles outside their glass cage had all but ceased and she was beginning to wish that she had Naruto here to save her like he had the last time.

"Oh I do want to leave this life behind. I have dreamed of having a home to return to since almost the day that I was forced to leave mine and yet I owe my life, my very existence to Zabuza-sensei and I can not betray him by turning my back on him for my own selfish purposes. He has requested that I defeat you and complete this mission and so I shall. Even though I do not wish to… I must do what Zabuza-sensei commands." Stated Haku sadly before rushing forward with a kunai in hand. At the last possible second just before she reached Hinata the mirrors exploded inwards showering Hinata, Sasuke, and Haku with chunks of ice.

There standing in front of her was Naruto looking a little worse for ware but otherwise alright. His clothes were dripping wet and had burn marks in several places as well as rips. They were stained in blood in several places as well and his eyes were still tinged in red around the outer edges as he grabbed Haku's wrist and halted her progress.

"Stop this Haku" yelled Naruto as he held her in place and looked into her eyes. "I told you that day we met in the clearing that I hoped we would be friends. Friends look out for each other and that is what I am doing now. Not just for Hinata-Chan but for you as well. You don't have to do this Haku. You owe nothing to Zabuza anymore. You have returned your debt to him already when you saved him from me weeks ago. Now you have to do what's right for you. I saw it in your eyes that day when we talked. You wanted what I offered you, you wanted a home, and friends, and a village to call your own. I can give you all that. Please don't throw this chance away Haku or you will regret it for the rest of your life. I know you will." Said Naruto.

"I more then anyone know what it's like to be wanted as nothing more then a tool and to live without friends. As a child that was all my village wanted me for and when the Hokage refused I was shunned. But I have found friends now, I have found those who I can consider family and there is nothing like it in the world. I know how you feel, I know you think you owe him your life, that you must do what he says but for once Haku, do something for yourself instead." Finished Naruto.

Naruto watched as Haku's eyes softened and she loosened her grip on her kunai before pulling back slightly. Naruto smiled at her at was about to invite her to return with them again when he saw her eyes go wide. At that instant Naruto acted without thinking. He acted to save a friend just like he would for any of his other friends. It didn't matter to him that she was a new friend and a shaky one at best. She was still a friend and as such he did what came natural to him. He sacrificed. At exactly the same moment both Naruto and Haku disappeared from view as the mist disappeared and Hinata watched in horror as the scene played out before her.

* * *

Kakashi and Kurenai had been fighting Zabuza for nearly a half hour now. Judging by the sounds surrounding them both jonin were well aware that theirs was the only battle continuing. A moment earlier Kurenai had succeeded in trapping Zabuza in a genjutsu for but an instant before he was able to break free. That moment however was all Kakashi had needed to nail him in place with his attack dogs which he had summoned quickly.

Opting to finish this battle quickly Kakashi charged forward with his hands racing through seals. Once finished a bluish white lighting surrounded Kakashi's right arm which he dragged behind him carving a large gash into the bridge all the way along his path. At the last moment Kakashi raised his arm straight in front of him and slammed it towards Zabuza's chest intent on killing the demon of the mist once and for all.

In that last second several things happened in quick succession to the horror of all those watching except Zabuza. In the moment before his attach hit the young women who traveled with Zabuza appeared out of no where in front of him intent on giving her life for her master. This in itself while disturbing to Kakashi was not was horrified him and his companions but rather it was that not even a moment later a familiar head of blond hair appeared in front of her. his back to his sensei, his eyes looking deep into Haku's and in that last moment Kakashi could do nothing but close his eyes as he felt his fist plunge deep into Naruto's back at chest level and come out the other side coated in his students blood.

Screams went up from the surround area as his team mates and sensei's alike realized just what had happened and all the while Naruto smiled sadly as blood poured from the corners of his mouth as he whispered something that only Kakashi, himself, and Haku could hear. "What are friends for?" and with that he began to slump forward.

* * *

Haku looked on in surprise as Naruto appeared in front of her an instant before his sensei plunged his lightning blade through his chest. She was about to ask him why he had done that, why he had saved her from her own fate when he answered her un-asked question. "What are friends for?" he had said and with that he had slumped forward.

In the instant after this had happened she felt her sensei free himself from behind her and watched as the shadow of his blade moved indicating he was preparing to strike. Like Naruto she acted without thinking, willing herself to return the favor of her first real friend, a friend who had died for her even though they hardly knew each other. Spinning around with several senbon in her hands she slammed them deep into the sides of Zabuza's neck just as he was preparing to bring his blade down and cut through her and the two leaf ninja. A look of mild surprise flashed over his eyes for a brief moment before he fell backwards. He landed on the ground with a loud THUD and tossed up dust into the air while his sword skidded away from his grip. Zabuza of the Mist was dead.


	12. Gato’s demise

**Author Notes:**

Ok so chapter 11 finally got put up even if it was late and now we're onto chapter 12. I did not quite finish where I wanted to last chapter but I was already well over my usual chapter length and I needed a break but still wanted to get it up there for you guy to read. I focused primarily on the Naruto/Tatsuki fight because I felt that Naruto was the one who needed the air time.

So this chapter deals primarily with the aftermath of the battle at the bridge and brings them all back to Konoha. This chapter brings the Wave Arc to a close and the next chapter will at the very least introduce the Chuunin exams if not begin them. There will be several interesting facts which will be revealed in the next chapter so stay tuned.

* * *

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**Second Chances**

Chapter Ten: Gato's Demise

By Cybergades

* * *

Naruto awoke to find himself lying face up in a very familiar room. Currently he found himself floating in about a foot of dingy water, staring up at the ceiling of what looked like a sewer system with huge pipes running across it. Following the pipes with his eyes Naruto finds himself looking into the cage of his long time charge the nine tail demon fox Kyuubi.

Thinking back briefly to try and figure out how and why precisely he was here Naruto finds his mind turning up a blank. He was about to concentrate harder and try to dredge up the memories when an incredibly pissed of and perhaps partially freak out fox started yelling from behind the cage.

"**You want to know what happened you DUMB FUCK. I'll tell you what happened. You being the world's biggest FUCKING MORON just about got yourself killed. BEFORE DOING ANYTHING TO HELP SAVE THIS FUTURE I MIGHT ADD. What the fuck were you thinking? You just decided to play the hero like you always do and you go and THROW YOURSELF IN FRONT OF A FUCKING CHIDORI. What the hell were you smoking and where can I get some." **Ranted the demon fox as his nine tails flew wildly behind him, smashing into the walls all around him.

"**Do you even understand just how close you came to royally stiffing each and every last one of your friends by pulling that stunt of yours? Haku may be important. BUT SHE IS NOT THAT IMPORANT. One inch you idiot. One fucking inch more and all the bloody chakra in the world wouldn't have done fuck all for you. As it was that idiot of a sensei of yours blew apart half your heart. You're bloody lucky that he didn't keep his arm in you for more then a few seconds or I wouldn't have been able to do a damn thing about It."** continued the fox as his rant started to roll to a close.

"**Let me make this perfectly clear to you dip shit. If you do that again I am going to make absolutely sure that the rest of your life is a living hell providing of course that you life. I mean honestly. You could have done any number of things to save the dumb woman but you just had to throw yourself in front of her. What would have happened if you had died? I'll tell you what would have happened. All your friends would have been pushing up daisies by the end of the up coming chuunin exams because Gaara would have crushed them like grapes just for kicks.**" Finished the fox as he huffed from behind his cage doors and turned his back on the blonde genin.

Blinking several times in confusion Naruto finds himself starting open mouthed at the fox in front of him for the first time in a long time. He had actually sounded like he cared there. It was true that they had developed some type of bond over the years but this was the first time he could remember where he actually sounded genuinely freaked out. A moment later Naruto smacked himself on the forward with enough force to make him vision blue for a moment.

In an instant the memories of what had happened came back to him and he saw himself acting without thought as he used his imitation of the fourth's trademark jutsu to instantly transport himself from Hinata's side to just in between Haku and Kakashi a mere fraction of a second before the Chidori had hit. Naruto found himself shuddering slightly at the possibilities. His recklessness had very nearly destroyed any and all chances in making things right in this timeline and he was more then willing to rip himself a new one for being such a fool.

That statement got him thinking slightly about his jutsu. It was yet another thing he would need to find out about this time around and the quicker the better. He had trained for ages with Jiraiya to learn how to use the first stage of the technique. It was essentially an ineffective version of the complete jutsu but it had to be mastered before moving forward or you were likely to slam yourself into a tree or a rock or something of that nature at close to the speed of light. Not exactly something that you would be getting up from anytime soon.

It had taken him months to master the technique to what was needed and finally he had been ready to go through with the final phase of the training to complete the technique. Jiraiya had decided to tease him about it slightly and had only informed him that the final phase of the jutsu required the use of a seal to concentrate your chakra on and in essence improve not only the speed but also the precision of the jutsu. He had then proceeded to tell Naruto that they would take a break for about a week while he went on a mission and that they would pick it up again when he returned.

That of course was the problem. He didn't return. Days later he had been reported killed in action and as the only person alive who knew the secrets to the flying thunder god technique Naruto had been forced to improvise like he had so many times before.

Years of training had allowed him to get the jutsu to the point that even in its partially complete state it was nearly as fast as the original and almost as precise. The trade however had been chakra. Where as the full version of the jutsu had been relatively easy on the chakra and would have allowed a normal genin level ninja to use it for hours on end before becoming tired, the version that Naruto had put together just sucked the chakra back like no tomorrow.

In order to focus and move himself without the seal while still having the high level of speed and being able to pin point his exit location, Naruto had been forced to use nearly one hundred times the amount of chakra every time the jutsu was used. Even with all the chakra he had Naruto in his past life he had never been able to surpass thirty seven minutes and change. Using it none stop for that length of time had literally left him past out as he came out of the jutsu the last time. It had not been a pretty site when his unconscious form had flown out of the jutsu and proceeded to fly through the air before slamming into a tree. He had been out for nearly a week afterwards.

With the extra chakra he had now he might be able to come close to an hour but that was pushing it. If he could just learn the seal information from somebody he would be able to use it for days at a time without rest. It would prove to be a very valuable tool to his arsenal for the upcoming wars as it had been in his past.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts Naruto addresses the Kyuubi for the first time since waking up. "Alright fur ball spill it. How long until I get out of the sewer and back to the real world so we can get this show on the road?" inquired the blond with a smirk on his face as he saw the fox twitch at the nickname. Hearing a low growl come from the cage Naruto only chuckled lightly before waiting for the answer to come. He did not have to wait long.

"**You can go whenever you like now that your awake kit. The damage has been repaired but I should warn you. You are low on chakra. Your fight with the six tails took far more out of you then you thought. Accompany that with having to use absolutely ridiculous amounts of my chakra to keep you from dying on the spot when you had your heart all but blown to pieces and you are running on fumes. You will not likely be returning home for at least another few days unless of course somebody plans on carrying your sorry ass."** Chuckled the demon lord before disappearing from view.

A moment later Naruto felt himself being thrown from his mindscape rather forcefully and grumbled to himself about impertinent foxes and their bad habits of throwing him out of his OWN MIND. A moment later he could feel the sun beating down on his face and could hear the voices all around him. Taking in the noise around him Naruto could tell that it was total chaos. He did not hear fighting but there was certainly yelling and did he just hear someone crying.

Feeling his senses coming back to him slowly the world around him began to come into focus through all his sense except sight. His eyes still closed off from the brightness of the sun above him the first thing he noticed as he fully came to was the light weight on his chest and the fact that said weight was shaking like a leaf. Less then a moment later he heard the sobs again and his heart instantly broke at the sound.

It had taken him but a moment to understand what had happened and who was lying on his chest. The sounds and the yelling all the confirmation that he needed. He had taken the Chidori for Haku and appeared to die to all those around him. Haku for one reason or another had spun around and immediately killed Zabuza who had tried to kill all three of them with his sword and finally Hinata had seen him fall to the ground and was now thinking the worst.

Naruto tried desperately to reach out and hold her but found that he could barely move his fingers. The fox had not been kidding about the chakra issue. He was down right exhausted. His entire body hurt like nothing he had ever experienced before and none of his bodily functions seemed to want to respond to him with any type of great success.

Hearing the woman he has come to love with all his heart crying in such utter pain and loss spurred Naruto forward. Pulling up all the chakra he had left available to himself Naruto demands that his hand move and after what felt like an eternity even if it was only a few moments Naruto felt his hand move. Finally able to at least get minor results Naruto carefully inched his hand to Hinata's side and with the last of his strength gripped her jacket as lightly and tugged with an almost unnoticeable amount of force.

It seemed it had been enough. Hinata startled at the contact and shot up off his chest, her face brightening instantly when she saw one eye crack open the smallest of a fraction as his hand squeezed once more before falling to his side in utter exhaustion.

Squealing in complete and unabashed delight Hinata launched herself at Naruto and started to hug him as tightly as she could while crying out his name happily. The others hearing the commotion stopped in the middle of their arguments and swiveled around to look at the young girl.

Kurenai looked at the young girl in front of her in something akin to pity. She had known for quite some time now that the young Hyuuga had a serious crush on the blond who had just given his life for somebody else. She also knew that the two of them had become quite close over the past couple of months and that was what made her so worried for her student. It appeared that the pressure was too much for the poor young girl. she had just witnessed what was quite possibly her first love loose his life while protecting an enemy and now she had convinced herself in her grief that the poor boy was alive which was simply not possible after the wound he had suffered.

Taking a few steps forward Kurenai put her hand on the girls shoulder and spoke softly. "I'm sorry Hinata but he's gone. There's nothing that anyone can do after something like this." Hinata looked up with a smile on her face before replying happily. "He's alive Kurenai-sensei. He's alive. He just looked at me, and he squeezed my jacket. I know he's alive. Isn't that wonderful sensei. Naruto-kun is going to be ok." Cried Hinata with tears of joy running down her cheeks as she clutched the boy's jacket roughly.

Kurenai shook her head sorrowfully as she prepared to pry the young girl away from her crush. Naruto was dead and there was nothing any of them could do to change that. It wasn't healthy for the girl to clutch to him like this and it was obvious to Kurenai that the poor girl had already lost connection with reality as she fooled herself into believing that the boy had somehow lived.

Reaching forward to pry the girl's arms from around the neck of the boy where they had now woven themselves her hand passed within an inch of his mouth which was lulled to the side and with a start Kurenai jumped back with a loud exclamation of shock. She had felt him breath, she was sure of it. The boy who had just had a Chidori thrust into his chest and through his heart had breathed on her hand which meant someway, somehow he was alive.

There others for their part were drawn by the sounds from the two women and very quickly found that despite all that had happened, Naruto was not quite as dead as they thought. For the first few moments after hearing the news everybody except for Hinata just started in shock at the blonde boy who had survived the impossible. That is until Hinata snapped them out of their daze by yelling at the group.

"Well don't just stand there, do something. We can't just leave him here like this. He's barely alive. You have to help him." ranted Hinata who had gone back to freaking out now that the euphoria of having her Naruto-kun back had worn off. The very next moment could only be described in two words. Organized chaos. That was the best way to describe it. Kakashi began barking orders like a mad man as he tried to gain control over the situation and ensure that they were not stuck out in the open for to long in their current condition.

Hinata and Kurenai were assigned to deal with Naruto and prepare him for transport back to the bridge builder's home. Their mission may have been close to finishing before the battle but it wasn't now. The bridge was in ruins after Naruto's fight. The whole south side of the bridge was practically destroyed. Only small pieces of the bridge held it together and a few pillars in that area were all that was left of the dozen or so that were there previously.

After assigning the remaining genin to watch what he considered to be their prisoner Kakashi set off to dispose of the bodies of the 4 ninja he assumed were killed in their battles only to find one missing. The young woman whom Naruto had fought was nowhere to be seen. Shaking it off as he could not sense her chakra anywhere near by Kakashi went back to the task at hand.

Twenty minutes later saw the merry band of ninja entering the quaint home they had been staying at since they arrived in Wave country. The group of Konoha ninja and one missing Nin each had different thoughts on their minds in regards to the mission but all of them had one thing in common even if not everyone would admit it. They were all relieved to see that Naruto was going to survive.

"Hinata… Take Naruto up stairs and get him in bed while Kurenai and I take a sweep of the perimeter. Sasuke and Sakura I want you two to put traps on all the entrances into the house so that we'll know if somebody tries to sneak in and in the mean time I want Kiba and Shino to watch over our prisoner until we can get back." ordered Kakashi as the two jonin left to go about their duties, leaving the genin to do as they were ordered.

Haku made no effort what so ever to resist the genin or their commanders. Following the instructions she was given to the letter she waited patiently to here about the fate of her young friend who had risked his life for her.

* * *

Tatsuki awoke to the odd feeling of somebody healing her wounds. Years of experience kicked in instantly preventing her from showing any outward signs of being consciousness in an effort to get a jump on her opponent. In the moments after she awoke Tatsuki became aware of several things which did not line up with her memory of the recent events. She was fairly certain that she had only been out for a few moments and yet she was being healed. She could hear the battles going on a short distance away still so who on earth was healing her.

The fact that she was being healed was no where near as interested as the fact that she was not in fact dead. That kid from Konoha had quite literally handed her ass to her. She had thought that she had the upper hand but that only lasted a few minutes. As soon as the kid got serious and started using what was obviously the powers of a sealed demon he had knocked her around like a rag doll. The battle on a whole had been a joke. So if he had so easily defeated her why had he not killed her?

Now however as her senses slowly returned in full she discovered what was perhaps the most interesting development. If she was not mistaking the chakra signature that she sensed standing above her was none other then the very kid who had put her in this condition. None of this made sense. She had never come across an enemy ninja who would have beaten her so thoroughly only to save her afterwards. Perhaps, just perhaps the things that Haku had said about him were true. Perhaps he was different. The fact that he was another Jinchuuriki and was showing her kindness was in and of itself extremely unusual.

Feeling the chakra signature moving away from her at high speeds Tatsuki popped open her eyes slowly and looked around warily. Despite the healing he had provided she was still in bad shape. She felt like one giant bruise and she still had minor cuts and a few broken bones all over her body. The fact was if she had been defeated that easily then the others would not stand a chance against him.

Making a quick decision Tatsuki rolled over a few feet and free fell through one of the many holes in the bridge down to the water below. She had a lot to think about and now was obviously not the time to do it. The simple fact was that at least at first glance the boy's words to Haku seemed to be genuine. He seemed genuinely willing to give anybody a chance but then that may just be on the surface.

If it was true she could have a chance to get out of the life she was living now. A chance to have friends and family again was certainly something she had dreamed of but she also had to look at the possible negatives. What if his village was the same as her old village? What if they hated her and tried to kill her? What if they tried to use her power for their own use? There were so many possibilities.

Shaking her head clear of the thoughts Tatsuki made the only decision she knew she could safely make right now. She would have to run for it. Then once she was far enough away where she could think clearly and sort through her thoughts she would consider all the possible solutions. If she determined that it was worth a try she would head to Konoha and look up the boy under cover of a tourist.

Nodding her head to herself in agreement Tatsuki took off at her best pace across the water heading away from the scene of her failed battle.

Hinata was sitting quietly in Naruto's room with his head resting softly on her lap as she ran her fingers gently through his hair. She had learned over the past few months that Naruto seemed to like her doing this and that it helped him relax when he was upset or worried about something.

They had been back at their little home away from home for about an hour now and Naruto had slept through all of it. Using her Byakugan had shown her that he had drained the majority of his chakra reserves resulting in him exhausting himself. Kakashi and Kurenai had been back for nearly ten minute now and had already started questioning Haku about her mission and any knowledge she had about those who had hired her. So far she had been quite up front with her answers and had only delayed a few times to ask about Naruto's condition.

Hinata was hoping that Naruto would wake up soon so that they could intervene before things got too messed up. She had promised Naruto she would not tell anybody about anything they discussed and so she had held her tongue but at the same time she knew that if they didn't act soon it was possible that Kakashi could do something that would damage the trust that Naruto had worked so hard to build with Haku.

She stared down on Naruto's peaceful face as she continued her ministrations. Outside the room and down the hall she could hear Kakashi and Kurenai questioning Haku on why Naruto had willingly thrown himself in front of an attack meant for her and her partner. Hinata looked down as she felt Naruto begin to stir from the noise outside the door. His eyes fluttered open and he smiled warmly up at her as she looked worriedly down into his deep ocean blue eyes.

No matter how many times she looked into those eyes she always found herself drowning in them. They truly were windows to his soul and she felt herself blushing at the love she found reflecting back at her from them. It was true that they were too young for anything serious and that she really didn't fully understand the depth of his feelings but she knew enough to understand that when he looked at her he loved her in the way an adult would love another adult rather then the silly love that most felt at their ages.

That was probably a result of his past life. When she looked at him she saw a wonderful young boy who made her happy and believed in her. A boy that gave her the strength to be better then she thought she could and to succeed at everything she did. However when he looked at her she often got the feeling that in addition to seeing her as she was now that he also saw her older self. That he saw her as the strong and confident woman that she would be come. He had told her often of how stunningly beautiful she would become. It always made her blush to the very tips of her toes when he said it but at the same time it was so fun to listen to him talk about her. About his memories of what she turned out to be.

Hinata pushed those thoughts out of her mind as she continued to stare into the eyes of the boy she loved. "Good afternoon Naruto-kun. Are you feeling ok? I was so worried when you got hit with Kakashi-sensei's jutsu. I thought I was going to loose you." stated Hinata as a single tear slipped out of her left eye and slowly made a trail down her cheek.

Naruto smiled up at her warmly again before reaching up and brushing the tear away. "I'm fine Hinata-chan. My furry little friend fixed me up good as new. I just needed to rest up for a bit to get some of my energy back. How is everybody else doing? And what happened to Haku?" inquired Naruto as he slowly began to sit up. Hinata smiled back at him shyly before replying.

"Everybody else is fine Naruto-kun and Haku is down the hall being questioned by Kurenai-sensei and Kakashi-sensei. I wasn't sure what to do to get them to stop since they don't know about you trying to bring her over to our side. I promised I wouldn't say anything and I didn't because that's my ninja way." replied Hinata as she reached forward and hugged Naruto tightly to silently ensure herself that he was really ok and that now was going to take him away from her.

Naruto returned the hug tightly to help reassure her that everything was going to be ok. He remembered perfectly well how shy she was at this age in his past life not to mention how concerned she was for her friends. He could only imagine what the events of the last several hours would have been like for her. It was true that Hinata was perhaps not the best type of person to be a Ninja in that she let her emotions control her decisions sometimes but in Naruto's mind this was also one of her greatest strengths. In the years to come it would help her grow in leaps and bounds and eventually she would prove to everybody just how capable she truly was.

"Alright Hinata-chan, what do you say we go drop in on the interrogation and get this explanation out of the way." asked Naruto as he continued to smile brightly at Hinata as she slowly stood to his feet.

Hinata smiled in return and nodded happily as she jumped to her feet and followed Naruto slowly out of the room and down the hall to the room where their senseis were interrogating their so called prisoner. It took them a few moments to get there as Naruto was still a little uneasy on his feet after using so much chakra but they made it all the same.

Stepping into the room and closing door behind them a little louder then needed all three heads turned towards Naruto in surprise. "Good to see your still in one piece Haku. I trust they haven't been too hard on you." laughed Naruto when he saw the look on Haku's face. "You three look like you've seen a ghost. What's wrong with you guys?" inquired Naruto with a look of mock curiosity on his face as all three of them stared at him in open surprise. It was obvious that they had not expected to see him up so soon. It apparently only took a moment for Kurenai to snap out of her state in order to voice that very question.

Naruto laughed before shrugging. "What can I say I heal fast." And with that he walked over and sliced the ropes around Haku's hands before either of the jonin's could stop him. "Kurenai-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, I would like to introduce you to Haku. About a week ago I met her in a field not far from here while I was training. I stumbled across her sitting in the clearing and recognized her chakra signature immediately. We talked for quite a while before I left her with an offer to think about. I told her that she could leave the life of a missing Nin and join Konoha. That we were always looking for skilled ninja and that she would finally be able to live a normal life instead of constantly looking over her shoulder. Its true that at the time I did not know if she would actually take advantage of the offer or not but by the time our battle was over I was sure she had." stated Naruto as he looked calmly towards his senseis.

Naruto knew that at the very least Kakashi would pick up on the hidden meaning in that story and understand why he had done what he had done. Kurenai was a different story. On the whole their team mates that had been affected by the poison weeks ago had recovered. Or at least they recorded as much as they were likely to as far as they could tell. Despite what they had thought it did not appear that their short term memory was likely to return anytime soon which had not been a huge loose. In addition the memories they did get back seemed to be hazy. None of them seemed to know just what Naruto was but they did remember to some extent several events which made them believe there was something special about him.

It had been Kiba who had actually made it easy on Naruto. He had suggested that Naruto might have a strange bloodline limit that nobody was aware of and that was what the red chakra was that they remembered. The others had seemed to accept this as being true although he knew they still had their suspicions and were watching him much closer now.

This all came down to one fact. While the genin no longer remembered the exact details of what he was or where he came from Kurenai had shown no memory of the night that he had informed both her and Kakashi. Like the others her memory seemed to be hazy and as such she seemed to only be able to remember that something interesting and of noteworthy value had taken place that night. Kakashi had played it off in his normally perverted manner which left the only people who truly had a clue about what was going on being Naruto, Hinata, and Kakashi.

So what should they do about Kurenai? She was in the room now and there was no way to get rid of her without causing suspicion. The last thing Naruto needed right now was for anybody to be suspicious about him or his team. Drawing attention to himself in that manner would only cause things to likely blow up in his face before he could prevent anything.

Shaking his head and resigning himself to his fate Naruto looked up to his sensei's before speaking. "Can Hinata and I speak with you and Kurenai-sensei in private for a moment? I can guarantee that Haku is not going to go anywhere." Inquired Naruto as he walked towards the door before turning back to Haku. "Don't do anything stupid Haku. We'll be back in a minute. Stay here, be good, and when we get back to Konoha we'll see to it that you get what you want." Finished Naruto before opening the door and walking out into the hall with Hinata close behind.

Kakashi looked to Kurenai before motioning for her to go first while he tied Haku back up and followed her out. A moment later the four ninja entered Naruto's room and each took a seat facing each other. After everybody was comfortable they feel into an awkward silence as Naruto tried to figure out how he was going to once again explain that he was from the future. A future where things went very, very badly.

Kakashi seemed to understand what he was struggling with and quickly stepped in to save his student the trouble. "Naruto I've already brought her back up to speed on everything that you told me while we were out on patrol. The question I think we both have is what you were thinking in offering somebody who just tried to kill us the chance to being a Leaf ninja." Inquired Kakashi.

Naruto sighed in relief at not having to do the awkward business of explaining things yet again before launching into his explanation about why he felt that Haku would be a valuable asset to their cause and what he knew about her background from the talk they had and his past experience in his previous timeline. In the twenty minutes that followed Naruto explained that ideally he would have liked to have gotten Zabuza as well and certainly the woman he had fought against if it had been possible but it seemed that Zabuza was not a possibility and the woman he had fought had left before he could look into that possibility further.

The group concluded their conversation with Kakashi and Kurenai agreeing to keep Haku with them until they got back to Konoha at which point they would have to leave the decision to the Third and the council. Naruto agreed with their terms before agreeing to get some more sleep and rest up so that he would be ready to work on fixing the damage to the bridge tomorrow which they had caused in their battle.

* * *

Tatsuki sat on the beach a few miles from the battle site and about ten miles from her employer's headquarters. The fact of that matter was she needed the money they had agreed upon or she would not be able to afford to eat in the near future. She had done as hired even if they had failed and the fact was that she had been misinformed about what to expect. Gato had swore up and down that the kid who had beat Zabuza was nothing more then a chuunin at best and that she would easily be able to take care of him. He had not once mentioned that he had a demon sealed inside of him. The idiot had nearly gotten her killed and she intended to get her money and perhaps a little revenge too.

She had been sitting here for nearly an hour now contemplating what she would do and she kept coming back to the same things despite the obvious dangers. Her desire to have a family again as well as friends like Haku was almost overwhelming. She knew that the smart thing to do would be to observe from a far and see if Haku had really been taken in by the Konoha ninja or not and see if she was treated as she had been told she would. She should follow them to Konoha and then visit a few times over the next few months to see how things ended up for the young girl. That would be the smart thing to do. If she was using her brains and her years of experience that would be what she would do. Unfortunately every time she thought about it, it was her heart that seemed to come out on top.

Her heart screamed at her that this was what she had been waiting for. This was what she had wanted since the death of her own family. She had wanted to be acknowledged and she had wanted to have family and friends again, a place to really call home. And the simple fact was that all of that and more was available for her in Konoha if this was all true.

For the past hour she had been fighting with her better instincts and for the past hour she had been loosing. Every part of her being told her it was too risky and that a few more months would not matter. But the fact was that her heart said otherwise. Her heart asked why she should have to wait for that which she had waited too long for already. Her heart asked why she should have to be separated from the first friend she had made in ages. But most of all her heart asked what if this opportunity wasn't open by the time she decided to accept it. What if they were looking for skilled shinobi right now for a reason and that reason disappeared? If that happened she would have passed up her only chance at the life she so desperately wanted to get back to. Would she ever be able to forgive herself then? She didn't think so.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts Tatsuki got to her feet and prepared to visit what she considered to be her former employer. She had made up her mind. If she remembered correctly she had heard that Konoha was to hold the next Chuunin exams sometime in the near future. After the damage she and the blond had done to the bridge they would be here for at least another week if not two before they fixed it and then they would have to return to Konoha. She would follow them at a distance and enter the village under the pretense of doing visiting to watch the upcoming chuunin exams and shop at the local stores. This way she could at least check out what happened with Haku. If the girl didn't come back to Konoha or if it was obvious that she had not been treated favorably by the village then she would leave. If however the offer looked genuine then she would approach the young genin from the leaf and make herself known.

Yes that was what she would do but first she needed some money and to get that she had to pay a certain slime ball boss of hers a visit. Brushing herself off and stretching out her sore muscles while favoring the obvious damage her body had suffered Tatsuki started on her way towards Gato.

* * *

Naruto lay in his room patiently waiting for Kakashi and Kurenai to leave the room in which Haku was being held. He had one more thing to accomplish during the wave mission and that was the elimination of Gato. He had not shown up at the end of their battle today which was a good thing but it caused him concern. With him still in the picture it was possible that they could face more ninja, of higher caliber between now and the time they left Wave country. If that was the case he might not be able to keep everybody alive this time. He had to deal with the bastard now before that happened but in order to do that he needed to find out where he was hiding.

Sensing the two jonin leaving the room Naruto got out of bed quickly and smiled briefly down at Hinata who was sleeping in the futon next to his peacefully. He knew that he should wake her up and tell her but he really didn't want her to come with him on this one. Gato was just a useless thug but there was no knowing who he would have with him. No it was better if he went alone. He knew he could survive. If anything happened he would just go all Kyuubi on their asses and be done with it.

Leaving a clone behind to hopefully hide his excursion from the others Naruto silently stepped out into the hall. Making his way slowly down the hall as to not make any noise Naruto snuck into the room with Haku and smiled brightly at her. "Well if it isn't my favorite missing Nin." Chuckled Naruto as he took a seat in front of Haku. "I need a little info Haku and I think you can help me out here. I need to know how to get to Gato and what kind of security I can expect when I get there." stated Naruto as he looked on expectantly.

Haku smiled before launching into her explanation. "Gato has a headquarters based here in the Wave country but it's about twenty miles from our current location. You're going to have to go back to the bridge and follow the waters edge on this side of the bridge for about fifteen miles or so. The place is nearly impossible to miss. It's a large industrial building with a port setup out front of it. He uses the building as the central trafficking point for all his merchandise both legal and illegal." Replied Haku before taking on a thoughtful pose.

"As for security that is tough to say. It is possible that he knows about our failure already which means he would likely have increased the security substantially for fear of retribution. If that is the case expect ninja and a lot of them. He has deep pockets and a lot of low level jonin and high level chuunin available at his discretion. If he feels his life is in danger you can bet that the place will be crawling with them. If by some chance he has not figured out what happened yet then you should not have a problem getting in. normally he just uses thugs for security and a skilled ninja would be able to dance circles around them without them even knowing you were there." finished Haku in a quite voice.

Naruto nodded his head thoughtfully before standing and heading back towards the door. "Thanks for the insight Haku. I'm going to go pay our good friend Gato a visit. I'll be back as soon as I can. If by some chance they discover me gone you can tell Hinata, Kakashi, or Kurenai where I have gone but nobody else." Before Haku could so much as open her mouth to respond Naruto darted out the door, across the hall and with little trouble at all disabled the trap on the window before exiting the house and resetting the trap.

Once outside Naruto took special care to make as little noise as possible and quickly made his way back to the bridge. Tonight was going to be a busy night and Naruto just knew that it was not going to be a walk in the park. After all nothing else had been. Why start now.

* * *

Tatsuki made her way slowly towards the entrance of the industrial complex that stood in front of her. Out back she could see the large cargo ship parked in the docks and being loaded with who knew what while armed thugs walked around the perimeter of the building. Entering through one of the many entrances one the east side of the building Tatsuki made her way as quickly as she could towards Gato's office.

Entering the poorly decorated office located roughly in the middle of the complex Tatsuki announced herself to the woman manning the front desk and waited a few moments before she was directed down the hall to another room where Gato would be meeting with her shortly. Her head was still spinning slightly from the beating she had taken and this was perhaps the reason she did not notice the unusually bare qualities of the room she had entered. Had she been thinking straight she likely would have concluded that it was very strange to be waiting for Gato in a room that was so bland. He had always shown a rather outrageous fashion sense and this tended to stretch to his décor as well.

This room however was nearly completely bare. It was made up of thick steal walls which normally would not be unusual in a building of this type but for Gato it was quite unusual. The walls were completely devoid of any art of any kind which was once again on the odd side for Gato and the floor was missing the usual tacky plush rugs that he had a tendency to place all over the place. If anything the room looked more like a cell of some type if not for the large meeting room table in the middle of the room with the high back leather chair.

Of course Tatsuki missed all of this while lost in her thoughts and dealing with her injuries. So she simply took a seat and waited for Gato to arrive. A few minutes later a short, fat and bald man walked into the room and sat at the opposite end of the room. The conversation between the two started off with the normal pleasantries before moving onto business matters.

"I understand my dear Tatsuki that you failed in your mission today. My agents report that your group was defeated swiftly by the group from Konoha. I'm also told that you in particular were quite thoroughly defeated by the blond haired ninja who defeated Zabuza in their previous battle. I was under the impression that you were much better then this. I hope you don't expect to get paid for such abysmal performance my dear." Chuckled Gato in his throaty voice.

Tatsuki sneered inwardly at the fat and ugly man that sat in front of her. If he didn't owe her money right now she would kill him outright and be done with it. She still might do so once he had paid her. "I assure you sir that I performed well within the range of what you hired me for. You informed me I would be facing a chuunin level opponent at best but the kid I fought was easily within range of an ANBU level shinobi and to top it off he possessed a demon within him. You failed to provide accurate information for the job and it failed as a result. I must request that you pay me immediately so that I can be on my way." finished Tatsuki while fighting to keep the sickly sweet smile on her face.

Gato scowled at the response before smiling again and getting to his feet. "Very well my dear Tatsuki. If you'll just wait here I will have one of my men deliver your payment to you. Do be sure to stay in touch won't you. In case we are In need of your services again in the future. Perhaps then we will have been results." Replied Gato before walking from the room.

As Gato made it just outside the doorway he turned his head over his shoulder to look directly into the eyes of the female shinobi before laughing. The moment he started laughing Tatsuki realized something was terribly wrong and jumped to her feet but it was already too late. The door to what was now clearly a cell slammed shut while the small vents along the floor and ceiling started pumping in a light purple cloud of smoke into the room at an incredible rate.

Within moments the room was full and Tatsuki was left choking on the smoke as she slowly fell to her knees. The last coherent thought she had before darkness claimed her was that she wished she had killed the fat bastard when she had the chance. With that the darkness surrounded her and she knew no more.

* * *

Naruto raced along the waters edge towards the large building in the distance. He had been masking his chakra the entire way and was planning on stopping in the outlying trees up ahead to scout out the area before heading inside. One thing was already abundantly clear to him and that was that Gato obviously knew or rather expected somebody was coming because the place was absolutely running wild with chakra signatures. There had to be forty or fifty ninja scattered throughout the facility and judging from the chakra signatures that he could make out they were obviously chuunin and above for the most part.

One signature however caught his attention. The woman whom he had fought with was inside the building. Her signature made the others look like civilians in comparison. Jumping into the trees Naruto stopped to survey the area and get his bearings. The outside guards would be pretty easy to deal with. If he opened his seal to replenish his chakra reserves he could use his version of the Hiraishin he would be able to jump past them before they even knew he was there.

That however did not solve his problems. Getting inside would be the easy part. Getting to Gato and more importantly getting out would be the hard part. The ninja were all over the facility and they were obviously making rounds. If he took one or more out they would soon be missed and alert the others to his presence.

In addition he wanted a chance to talk with the woman he had fought against. Haku had mentioned her name was Tatsuki during their brief meeting earlier today and that she was a very powerful ninja who had similar values to the two of them. He wasn't sure if the values part was true but the power was and he wanted her on their side.

That would obviously take time not to mention the possibility that he might have to fight his way past her if she tried to detain him. What he really needed was a diversion, something that would draw the ninja out of the building and keep the busy. Sitting down in a thinking pose Naruto suddenly smirked. Owe he knew just what he needed to do.

Putting his fingers into his trademark seal Naruto silently created a dozen Ninja and then used henge them into his companions and a small group of Hyuuga. They Hyuuga were well known even in these parts and their supposed appearance would draw out the ninja for sure. Once he was finished with his preparations Naruto pumped as much chakra as he could into each of the clones to increase their durability. If he was lucky they would be able to take a few hits before going up in smoke, that would give him all the time he needed to get by them. Of course he didn't expect them to just go up in smoke. Oh no, he had something much more interesting planned for them. He only hoped it worked. It would certainly make his job easier in the long run.

Naruto Activated his Hiraishin No Jutsu Naruto rocketed past the unsuspecting Ninja who were standing out front of the building before turning around quickly and whipping a series of kunai at them. As they whistled through the air the ninja spun around to block the attack only to have the kunai blow up in their faces as the explosive tags wrapped around them went off killing each of the three ninja instantly.

Naruto quickly shot up the side of the wall as his clones burst from the tree line and charged towards the building where Naruto could see the remaining ninja from inside already starting to poor out. From the chakra signatures that Naruto could pick up within the building it looked like only a handful had remained inside. Less then a dozen by the looks of it and as a result they were spread thin. They knew they were under attack now so killing them wouldn't matter. However they would not be as likely to notice the first couple that went missing inside now as they would have been before.

Naruto spun around at the sound of a serious of explosions going off at the base of the building before smiling wickedly. He was such a bastard. He had started using that one later in the war when it had become clear that they were incredibly out numbered. He would create clones and have them wrap themselves in explosive tags under their clothes before charging into battle. The clones would be imbued with additional chakra to increase their durability and allow them to take a couple of good shots before they died. As a result they were usually able to get nice and close to the enemy and when they did BOOM. They would blow themselves to bits and take the bastards with them.

Of course being Naruto he had been able to do it all day, literally. Chakra was not a problem and so it had turned into one of his famous past times. Eventually the sound and started to get the idea and had become quite wary of him. He had always gotten a kick out of it. Now as he watched the last of his clones blow of in the face of the five ninja who were surrounding him Naruto laughed aloud. Nearly thirty ninja had come out and not one of them was left alive. What a bunch of losers.

Naruto laughed again before slipping into the building through one of the open windows on the top floor. Naruto paused for a moment to create a couple dozen clones once he was inside. Finding Gato was the priority and after having his ninja defeated so easily he would likely be ready to make a break for it. He couldn't let that creep get away. Sending out his ninja as scouts after using henge to make them look like the ninja who had attacked him Naruto made his way towards the lower levels where he could sense a clump of ninja who appeared to be with the woman he had fought earlier. He figured it was time he asked some questions.

* * *

Gato sat behind his desk staring at the security monitors with sweat pouring down his face and a gun clutched in his hand. A mere moment ago he had watched as thirty of the best ninja he had at his disposal had been killed by what looked like a series of kamikaze ninja. They had charged right at his ninja and when they were close enough they had each exploded killing all those who were within range. What was worse was that he could see those very same ninja who he had just watched die walking around his facility at this very moment. It didn't make any sense unless it was some ninja technique.

He didn't know what to do. Finally Gato cracked under the pressure and called over the PA system for his security to immediately report to his office to protect him. Little did he know he had just signed his death warrant. At least before it would have taken Naruto a while to find him. Now they would know exactly where he was.

* * *

Naruto smirked as he heard the message come over the PA system. God this guy was an idiot. He had just led them directly to him. Naruto took a quick detour towards the Gato's office to finish him off before going back to visit Tatsuki who for her part seemed to not be moving at all. Oh well he would puzzle that little fact out later. For now he had a crime lord to kill. Climbing up above the pipes that ran across the ceiling Naruto carefully and quietly made his way towards what was obviously Gato's office while his clones engaged the ninja in the halls before they could make it. The few who had already made it would soon find themselves facing certain death.

Smirking as he came across the ugliest office he had every seen in his life Naruto look down at the three hapless ninja who looked about ready to shit themselves using chakra to plant his feet firmly to the underside of the pipes and hang down behind the ninja. The three ninja standing guard out front of the office never even knew what hit them. One moment they were alive and standing, the next they each had a kunai slammed into the base of their skull killing them instantly.

Dropping deftly to the floor below Naruto walked into the office and glanced sideways at the young woman who was hiding under her desk. She was obviously a civilian and of no interest to him. Naruto walked quietly over the door and placed five explosive notes to the door while attacking chakra strings to each which ran to the wall. It was a simple trick and more then sufficient for somebody as useless as the idiot sitting in the room of which the door hid. Walking back over to the desk Naruto spoke quietly to the young woman with ice in his voice.

"I will give you one chance and one chance only to live. You will call out to Gato and tell him that the guards outside his office have found a way to get him out of here but that he must leave now. Do that and you will live. Do I make myself clear?" Naruto smiled wickedly at the woman as he finished and she only huddled closer to the ground and nodded vigorously before turning her head towards the door and repeating what he had told her to.

"Mr. Gato sir. Your guards need to get you out of the building immediately sir. They say they've found a way to get you out but you have to leave now." squeaked the young woman as she looked fearfully at the door. Naruto stared at the door with no emotion what so ever showing on his face until a moment later when he heard movement behind said door.

The door swung open and Naruto smirked at the fat man whom he had not seen in many years before waving his hand in a farewell gesture. Gato for his part stood frozen in place for that moment while Naruto opened his mouth and said "Say BOOM". Less then a second later all five explosive notes detonated blowing out the whole wall and killing Gato instantly while Naruto continued to smirk. God he loved to blow shit up.

Turning back to the shaking woman Naruto gave an exaggerated bow before turning and heading towards where his former opponent was obviously located. The remainder of his clones had been destroyed and he was well aware that each had completed their task. The only people getting in his way now would be thugs who were about as dangerous to him as a plastic spoon.

* * *

Tatsuki woke up with the biggest headache she had ever experienced in her entire life. Her vision was swimming and she felt like she was floating on air for some reason but it was her headache that was driving her nuts. She thought for sure that her head was going to split wide open from the pain of it alone. Finally coming to her senses she noticed that she was not in fact floating on Air but was rather being carried on somebody's back.

Looking down she saw a head of shockingly blond hair a second before she was unceremoniously dropped on her ass by whomever it was who had been carrying her. "You ok there. I'm not quite sure what they did to you but for some reason I doubt that you were a willing participant." Came a somewhat familiar voice. Looking up Tatsuki gapped at the person that stood before her. There was the boy who not a day previously had kicked her ass all over the new Wave country bridge like she was a ping pong ball and for some reason he had saved her. AGAIN.

"My name's Naruto. It's nice to meet you again. Hopefully this time you won't do something stupid and make me kick your ass again." laughed Naruto as he absently scratched the back of his head. Despite herself Tatsuki found that she could not prevent the snort of laughter that came forward at that comment. The kid was so much like her little sister. She could see what Haku meant already and she had only been talking to him for about twenty seconds. He certainly had a way about him. "I'm Tatsuki. It's nice to meet you Naruto."

"Listen I know that Haku told you about my offer. The leaf could use a ninja like you and I can always use another friend. Why would you want to continue working for people like Gato and living a life on the run? The bastard just tried to lock you up and I am not entirely convinced he would not have killed you had I not gotten to him first. Although truth be told I can't exactly claim that I came to save you. It was more I came to kill him and stumbled across you in the process. By still why waste your life like this." Said Naruto as he took a seat across from the young woman.

"Haku told me about what happened to your family and about you having a secret power that others don't. Of course only the two of us know what the power really is. Were a lot alike you know. Where as you lost your family as a result of the demon you have sealed inside of you I lost mine as a cost of having the demon sealed inside of me. My entire family was killed the night the Kyuubi died and if my suspicions about my father are correct then he died performing the actual jutsu that put this oversized fur ball inside of Me." stated Naruto.

Tatsuki stared at the young boy in front of her for several long moments before replying. "Naruto I appreciate the help you have given me and the help you have provided Haku. I am not quite ready yet to commit to a village. Not without doing a little bit of digging first. I am sure you understand. I am worried about the type of welcome I will receive in a village when they know just what I have inside of me. I need to be sure that they will not use me as a tool and treat me like I am nothing more then a demon. I do so want the life you described to Haku. Nothing would please me more but I need a little more time." Tatsuki replied.

Naruto considered her words for a moment while his thoughts ran ramped on him. If he had her help during the invasion she would be a huge asset for the leaf. And then if he could get Gaara on his side before hand some how they would be a force to be reckoned with. The question was how much he should tell her. Naruto thought on this for a moment before coming to a decision. He had always learned to trust his gut instinct and right now it was telling him to take a chance. Give her a little bit of what was to come and hope that she didn't turn on him and the leaf.

"Tatsuki… I want to be honest and up front with you. Things will not be a walk in the park right away if you come to the leaf. The villagers tend to have a real problem with me because of what I have inside me and you will likely have to deal with the same issues. However the Hokage is a very good friend of mine. I consider him to be almost like a grandfather. He has taken good care of me since I was a kid and he has made sure that despite the villagers distaste for me that I am safe and well taken care of. I have many friends in Konoha and I know that I will gain the respect that I am looking for eventually. What I am saying is that while it will not be easy, it will be a home, and you will have friends. I would be honored to be the first." Said Naruto as he looked up towards the ceiling with a look of contemplation on his face.

"You should also know that something big is coming to Konoha and I request that you keep that to yourself. It's one of the reasons I am recruiting ninja. I am one of a handful of people within my village that are aware of this event that approaches us. If you join Konoha I can guarantee you that your help in said event will gain you a lot of respect with the villagers." Finished Naruto.

Naruto was silent for a moment before standing and heading towards the exit. "Well think it over. We'll be in Wave for a week or two before we head back to Konoha. The Chuunin exams are coming soon as well. If you're interested I would really appreciate a respond before the exams start. Take your time and think it over." said Naruto.

Just as he was about to leave Naruto paused once more and looked back at Tatsuki. "For all the reasons that you should join us Tatsuki there is one I have not brought up yet. Our kind needs to stick together. There is a group which seeks to claim our demons for themselves and in doing so they kill the hosts of the demons they steal. They are incredibly powerful and incredibly dangerous for us to take on alone but together we can stand against them. These demons may be our curses but we can also make them our gifts. Think it over Tatsuki. You know where to find Me." and with that Naruto left.

* * *

Tatsuki quickly took care of her business after Naruto left by putting together a bag full of money for herself and taking a little extra since the fat bastard wasn't going to need it where he was before heading off towards her current hideout. She had a lot to think about in the coming weeks and it did not look like it would be an easy decision. Chances were she would be in for many a sleepless night in the near future.

* * *

The next two weeks passed quickly and without incident as the group from Konoha completed the repairs on the bridge and finally managed to wrap up the mission. They had been heading for Konoha now for a couple of days and they were expecting to reach the gates by sun down tonight. Naruto had not heard anything from Tatsuki since the day they spoke in Gato's headquarters and nobody from his team other then Hinata was aware of what he had done. She had caught him sneaking back into the room and had promptly demanded to know where he had gotten to. Naruto would have laughed at the major change in her attitude from her present self with her past self of the same age if she hadn't looked so scary at the time.

He had of course caved and told her everything which had caused her to pout and ask why he hadn't invited her along which had in turn led him to promising to never leave her in the dark again. Personally he was beginning to think that she had played him just to get him to promise but he couldn't me sure. Whatever the case he didn't much care. Things were at least looking somewhat better then they had before and he certainly had an edge on the old snake bastard this time around. Now he just needed to make that edge a little more pronounced.

Hours later they reached the gates just as the sun was going down and proceeded directly towards the Hokage's office. Naruto knew that he was in for some explaining and frankly he didn't quite care much. He had some interesting questions to ask the old man himself but they would have to wait until it was just the two of him which would likely be the case when it came time to talking about the events that lead to him inviting Haku back to Konoha. Regardless he would figure it out when the time came. The 9 ninja entered the Hokage tower and approached the Hokage's office before being asked to wait while they were announced. When they were finally admitted into the office Naruto put on his typical loud mouth attitude and prepared to play the part he had been handed. Strolling into the office Naruto yelled at the top of his lungs. "Hey Old Man were back."


	13. Of Inheritance and Chuunin Exams

**Author Notes:**

First I would like to thank all of you who have been reading my story and especially those who have taken the time to review. I am often busy and sometimes the only thing that gets me in the mood to write after a long day at work is the fact that I have a couple of reviews to read.

Well you are all in for a treat this chapter as there is a fair bit going on. By the end of the chapter we will be about to start the Chuunin exams. During the chapter you will learn quite a few things about Naruto's heritage which were otherwise unknown before this point. Some of these things have been hinted at a bit in past chapters while others will come as a complete surprise.

Stay tuned for next chapter as well as it will be just as busy as this one and next chapter we will in fact start the chuunin exams. This is by far the most event oriented chapter of my story so far so be sure to read carefully. It is sure to be one hell of a ride.

_**Important note: I now accept Anonymous reviews. I was completely unaware that you actually had to turn this on. Or rather I did not know HOW to turn it on. I have figured it out now so to all those people who read but don't have an account. Please review anyways.

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**_

**Second Chances**

Chapter Thirteen: Of Inheritance and Chuunin Exams

By Cybergades

* * *

Sarutobi sighed and rolled his eyes at the young blond boy's antics as proceeded to kiss his quiet time goodbye. Truthfully for all Naruto's faults he was still a great kid and the wizened old Hokage truly felt for the boy's plight. The village had never respected just how much he had given up, how much he had sacrificed for them even if it wasn't necessarily by choice. To carry such a burden at such a young age and yet still maintain such a high outlook on life while still striving to protect the very people and village that had ostracized him, it never ceased to amaze him just how strong Naruto really was.

It was true that the village had been much quieter without him around but it was also true that for all the problems he caused the village just wasn't the same without him. The old man set down the pen that he had been using to fill out the mountain of paperwork which currently sat on his desk and looked towards the assembled group. He was surprised to see an extra ninja present and even more surprised to see that she was a mist missing-nin judging by the slash across her headband. Figuring that it would all be worked out during the mission report Sarutobi decided to get things started.

"Welcome back Naruto… I see that you are still as loud as ever. And it is good to see the rest of you as well. Kakashi… Kurenai… please give me your report." Requested Sarutobi as he leaned back in his chair with his fingers tented in front of him. For the next hour the various members of Team 7 began to recount the mission and the battles which they partook in. Sarutobi for his part listened patiently to the entire report and collected the information that he felt was relevant before deciding on a course of action.

As the report finished up Sarutobi leaned forward and reached into his desk pulling out the necessary forms to change the mission stasis from a C rank mission to an S rank mission before handing over the wages to each of the members of Team 7. After he was sure that all the necessary paperwork was dealt with the Hokage leaned back in his seat again and sighed. This issue with the missing-nin was going to take some time to deal with.

"I thank you all for your dedication to this village and your mission. You have each shown outstanding skills and bravery in face of almost insurmountable odds. For the time being you're all dismissed and your team shall have a week off to recover from your hardships. Guards please escort Haku-san to a holding cell for the time being until I call for her. Make sure she is well taken care off and send somebody to look over her injuries. Haku-san you must understand the position you have put me and this village in. You have willingly submitted yourself to our jurisdiction and for that you have earned my respect but certain precautions must be taken. I hope you understand." Explained Sarutobi.

As the group began to file out Sarutobi noticed that two of the young genin seemed to be purposely lagging behind. His suspicions were confirmed when they stopped completely just in front of the door and watched as the others walked down the hall. Sarutobi studied Naruto and the young girl beside him. If he remembered correctly her name was Hinata and she was the heir of the Hyuuga clan. He was not surprised to see Naruto staying behind as he had expected him to argue on behalf of his new found friend but the young Hyuuga surprised him greatly. From what little he knew of her she was supposed to be notoriously shy and especially around Naruto.

Before he could continue this line of thought and investigate the possible reasons for their continued visit, much less determine the reason they would be staying together he was beaten to the punch by Naruto as the young boy spoke up. "I think it's time we have a talk old man. There are some truths that you need to know and there are some answers that I think you owe me as well. But for now let's start with an easy question. Did you figure out my little riddle yet?" asked Naruto as he sat himself in front of the Hokage's desk.

Sarutobi was stunned by the complete change in attitude. If he had not been one hundred percent positive that the boy in front of him had the exact same chakra signature as the Naruto he had always know, he would have thought him an impostor. Gone was the good natured smile, gone was the loud mouthed reckless attitude. In its place was the mask of a warrior, the aura of an elite, with a complete no nonsense attitude that had no place in a boy of his age. In fact everything about him screamed seasoned warrior.

What was more surprising was that Hinata didn't seem to be surprised in the slightest. In fact she was acting as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts he replayed Naruto's words in his mind again before deciding to answer him truthfully and see if he could get some answers out of him. "Yes Naruto I believe I have. You were referring to my students Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru although I am unsure what the rest of it pertained to. I am assuming there was a point to it." commented Sarutobi evenly while keeping a close eye on Naruto's reaction.

Naruto leveled his eyes on the only man he had ever come close to considering a father. Jiraiya had been more like an uncle or a mentor then anything else. Could he trust him with this secret or at least part of it? It was obvious now that unless he took direct action that Tsunade and Jiraiya would not be in the village in time for the invasion and if he didn't warn the old man there was the chance that something might go wrong. Could he really take the risk of making things worse or not changing enough by keeping everything to himself?

He supposed the question really came down to did he trust the old man enough. Did he believe that he would listen to him and take his warnings seriously. If he asked him to follow his lead and the old man agreed would Naruto be able to trust him to keep his word. He had to believe that he would. Sarutobi had never led him astray as far as he knew. He had always been there for him. There was no other choice. He needed help and the village had to be prepared for the invasion. The Hokage could do that. If he was prepared then things would almost certainly go smoother. Making up his mind Naruto dragged his hand through his hair before sighing and sitting up straighter.

"I have some things that you need to know Hokage-sama. But before I can tell you anything I need your word that you won't do ANYTHING about what I tell you without consulting me on it and getting my approval. This might sound ridiculous right now but I promise you that if you agree then it will make a lot of sense by the time were done. So much is at stake old man. I've never lied to you before, at least not about anything this serious and you know I would never joke about something like this. If you care for me as much as I believe you do then you'll at least hear me out." stated Naruto evenly as he watched Sarutobi carefully from the other side of the desk. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hinata begin to fidget and he knew she was concerned about talking to the Hokage in such a disrespectful manner. He smiled at her reassuringly before turning his gaze back towards the old man.

Sarutobi once again found himself shocked beyond recognition as the words left Naruto's mouth. He had never heard Naruto talk like this before or act like this. It was truly disconcerting and yet he could tell from the boy's body language, expression, and voice that he was serious. Everything about this situation seemed to scream that that it was of vital importance. It was not something he was willing to discount. At the very least he would hear what had to be said. It was possible that it was just a prank but then it was true what Naruto had said. He had never joked or lied about something serious. His jokes were always carefree and harmless. Naruto had never done something like this before and he didn't for a second think that Naruto could or would really pull a prank of this nature.

Deciding to move forward he nodded his head and looked carefully between the two genin motioning for Naruto to begin his explanation. With his expression serious he told Naruto to continue.

Naruto blew out a breath he had been holding and looked once more at Hinata before beginning his explanation. "Let me start by saying I'm not ready to tell you everything I know just yet. I have once chance to make sure this goes right and I can't risk compromising my knowledge this early in the game. With that said I realize now that if I hope to save our village from the disaster which approaches then I'll need help no matter how powerful I am." Started Naruto. When he looked up into Sarutobi's eyes again the old man was taken aback by the power he saw there.

Naruto carefully weighed his words and began again trying to reveal only what needed to be said while holding everything else back. At least for now that would have to do. "In a little over a month at the end of the chuunin exams your old student Orochimaru will stage an invasion of the leaf with the help of Sound and Sand. The attack will happen during the finals and if we're not prepared the Leaf will never be the same again." said Naruto. There he had said it. There was very little more he could say without compromising too much. Now he just had to be sure that preparations were done carefully without anybody knowing why and without it being obvious.

Sarutobi's eyes widened at Naruto's claims and he sucked in a breath quickly through his teeth. There had been reports of movement from Sound but there had been no indication that they would attack anybody let alone Konoha. For the Sand to be helping them was even more of a concern. How could this have happened with out there knowledge? Even as these thoughts crossed through his mind Sarutobi was considering every word that had been said so far. He was known for his smarts after all and it was rare that something got by him.

There was no way that Naruto should have had this information. How could he possibly have gotten such accurate information? Providing it was accurate of course. There was no way he could act on this without being sure. He had to know if this was true and how reliable the information was. If it was reliable then he would have to find a way to keep as much of his ninja force on hand during the chuunin exams as possible without tipping his hand.

Narrowing his eyes are the young genin before him Sarutobi cleared his through before speaking. "How did you come across this information Naruto? What's more how could you possibly know about the Chuunin exams being hosted here or that they were beginning so soon. You're not telling me something. I can't act on this without knowing how reliable the information is." commented Sarutobi.

Naruto cursed his luck. Nothing was going right so far. He of course realized he had overlooked another fact as well. By interfering the old man would likely live and if he did then Tsunade would not take over unless he stepped down. But he wouldn't step down unless he knew why he had to step down. This was spinning out of control and he didn't like it. Even so he supposed he needed somebody of power to help ensure things went right. If he had to reveal his hand to somebody then it might as well be somebody he knew and trusted. Sighing heavily Naruto nodded his head before beginning to explain.

"What I'm about to tell you stays between the three of us until I say otherwise Old Man. I won't let you or anybody else jeopardize my mission. Tens of thousands of lives depend on my success. If you care about this village at all then you'll help me and you'll trust my judgment." And so Naruto explained in limited detail about the course of events in the previous timeline. Explaining how the failed invasion and his death had left the village in a weakened state for which it never recovered. He explained how slowly over the course of ten years the village's population began to dwindle as more and more were killed until finally the leaf fell. Finally he explained his last ditch attempt to right the wrongs of the past by using a forbidden jutsu to travel back through time. One which was thought to of meant certain death for the user.

When he was done he sat staring into the old man's eyes who stared back at him in stunned silence before his gaze turned hard. "I see… It seems that my old student has been busy. I understand your reluctance to tell me all of this Naruto and I understand that you have purposely left out some information. You are so much like your father. You know on the day he died he told me that you would do great things for this village. If only he could see you now. The hardships you have faced and yet you still fight on for what you believe to be right. I believe you will make a great Hokage one day Naruto. I only hope I am still around to see that day." Commented Sarutobi as he let the events of the past hour or so stroll through his mind.

"Well let's hear what you had in mind Naruto. I am assuming there is a reason why you wanted me to defer to you on this. If we are to survive the coming storm then we must work together and work quickly. Tell me what you feel needs to be done." Suggested Sarutobi. Naruto nodded and flashed one of his famous grins. "Well first and foremost you need to make sure you don't tell ANYBODY about this. We need to make preparations without anybody knowing why and without it being obvious. You see old man the leaf has spies. At least one that I know of but there could be more. If the news gets out then the plans could change and then we'd be screwed." Explained Naruto.

"Other then that there are a few things we need to be prepared for. The biggest problem we had last time around was the damage that they were able to do to the village before we stopped them. And for the most part that damage was caused by these ridiculously large snakes they summoned. We're talking summons as tall as the Hokage tower. They had maybe a half dozen or so summoned last time and they caused a shit load of damage before they were stopped. That can't happen this time. Last time around there was no end to the repairs we were doing around here. It seemed every time we got everything fixed there would be another attack. It wasted a lot of resources and kept us from ever being prepared for the subsequent attacks which is exactly what caused our defeat in the end."

"The next important thing is getting Tsunade and Jiraiya back here and fast but without making it seem strange. There needs to be a good reason for it and it needs to stand up to scrutiny. Under no circumstances can we afford for Orochimaru to figure out that we know about his attack. Right now he thinks he has the element of surprise when in fact we do. If we do this right we can have him walking right into a trap and decimate his forces. I don't for a second believe that we can end this all right here but at the very least we can slow him down for a few years. If we really screw this up for him it will take him years to rebuild to his current strength and that is exactly what we want because it will give us time to strengthen our forces." Stated Naruto

"Another thing to understand is that the Sand shinobi are not at fault for their involvement in this. The Kazekage is long since dead. Orochimaru killed him and is now impersonating him. With that said I currently have no idea how to stop them from attacking, especially not without tipping our hand to the enemy. I do however have plans on how to stop Gaara so you can leave that part to me. For the time being we'll just have to wing it with the Sand and see what we can do. Once I turn Gaara I might be able to get some of them on our side. At any rate if at all possible we should be trying to incapacitate the Sand shinobi when they attack instead of killing them outright. They will be our allies after this and if we cripple them it only makes them weaker allies."

"For now that's all that's important really. I'll leave it to you to prepare our forces. Just make damn sure you don't reveal anything. Between the spies, the council, and some of the idiot shinobi we have, it'd be sure to get out. Anyways with that over and done with I think you have some explaining to do now Old Man. Tell me about my father. I've been dreaming about him since I came back and I know that you're holding on to some stuff that belongs to me. I also happen to know that you're the only one that knows about my linage which explains why I didn't find out in the last timeline. Because you died before you could tell me. There might be something of use to me in whatever you have so spill it." demanded Naruto.

Sarutobi leaned back in his chair and considered everything that had been said so far during the meeting. In truth he hadn't doubted Naruto's words for a moment during the explanation of his return from the future. He was aware of the jutsu with which he referred to and there was no other conceivable answer as to how he could possibly have gotten the information on it much less everything else he knew unless he really had used it. When he had worked that out the rest just all fell into place. It all made sense and so now the only question was what to do. Calling back his two students would raise a lot of questions. It was a well known fact that Tsunade hated the village after the death of her husband and brother. Jiraiya on the other hand was known for his wayward ways. For both of them to return at the same time something big would have to be happening.

That meant that if he was going to call them back then he needed to have a reason that was perfectly reasonable but more then that was of great benefit to the village. After all it would be obvious to anyone who knew the two that it would have taken a great deal of effort to get them back. It wouldn't make sense to go through that much effort unless the village was benefiting in some large way from it.

He would have to think more on that topic and quickly but for now he had other things to focus on. Besides the two Sannin he needed to prepare his ninja for the invasion with out them knowing that's what they were doing. What's more he had to arrange them in such a way that it wouldn't be obvious to the enemy that they knew. That meant there needed to be a reason for the change of procedure. Every time the chuunin exams came to Konoha they laid out the ninja the same way. There had to be a reason for the change and just like with the other issue he needed a reason that was believable to do so.

Pushing his thoughts away for the time being Sarutobi focused on the situation at hand. He had not planned on giving Naruto his inheritance until he was sixteen but with the current situation now seemed like the right time. Naruto was of course right. In the previous timeline he had died and therefore all knowledge of his true heritage had been lost. There were some things that could potentially benefit him greatly in his journey. It was simply not worth the risk to wait any longer. He took comfort in the fact that even thought he was handing it over at such a young age it was only in body. The fact was Naruto was in his twenties now and had lived through a great many things. He had no doubt that the boy could handle what was to come.

Standing from his chair and walking over to the wall Sarutobi removed a picture to reveal a vault door. After a few moments of tinkering with the combination the door swung open and Sarutobi pulled out a large envelope and three scrolls before closing the vault door, returning the picture to its place and moving back towards the desk.

After sitting back down Sarutobi placed the items on the desk and folded his hands overtop of them. "Are you sure that you want young Hinata here for the rest of this. The information contained within the items was kept secret for a reason. I imagine you already know some of what's included in these documents since you've been dreaming about your father. The choice is yours Naruto." Questioned Sarutobi.

Naruto nodded his head instantly and smiled over at Hinata. "Hinata knows everything in detail about my life both past and future. I made the mistake of not revealing my feelings to her once and because of that she died not knowing. I refuse to make the same mistake twice. She means the world to me as odd as that sounds at our age." Commented Naruto

Sarutobi nodded his understanding before gently pushing the items forward across his desk and leaning back in his chair once more. "The items in front of you are only a small portion of your inheritance. The rest you will find within your family estate which I have kept up for you over the years. It is up to you whom you share this information with but understand that your family and specifically your father had a lot of enemies. Once this information gets out it is likely that his enemies will become yours."

"The envelope contains the legal documents for your records including a copy of your father's will, reports from the bank over the years showing his investment records and bank statements as well as other documents of the like. You will also find information within there as to the location of your family estate including the keys. Once you get into the house you will be able to find the clan vault with the information provided. Within that vault you will find the rest of the information about your inheritance. I will be more then willing to answer any questions you have after this crisis is dealt with. For now I think we can both agree we have more important things to deal with." explained Sarutobi

Naruto stared in wonder at the documents in front of him. It was true he had known for a little while now that the fourth was his father but to actually have something in his hands that belonged to his father was almost too much. Taking a deep breath Naruto pushed those thoughts away so that he could get through what he knew he needed to. There would be time to consider the implications of all of this later. "What about the scrolls? What are they? Inquired Naruto.

Sarutobi smiled softly at him before responding. "One is a letter from your parents which was written by them for you in the event of their deaths. Another is the deed to your family estate and the last one is a scroll of jutsus and seals that were unique to your father. As I said previously you will find a great deal more located within the clan vault including information on your clan's kekkei genkai. I suggest you check it out when you have the chance. For the time being I believe we should call this meeting to an end. I believe we both have things that need to be dealt with. I look forward to seeing what you two can do in the chuunin exams. Have a nice day." Said Sarutobi in a pleasant tone.

Naruto gathered the documents and stood from his chair before thanking the old man for his help and following Hinata out of the office. Once outside of the tower Naruto turned to Hinata and smiled. "Well why don't we call it a night and meet up in the morning. Tomorrow we can go over everything I got from the old man and if memory serves we'll be informed about the chuunin exams tomorrow as well. It looks like the next few months are going to be exciting." Suggested Naruto. A moment later the two disappeared, heading in their own directions.

* * *

After departing from the Hokage's office Hinata made her way home slowly as if by taking her time she could avoid the disaster she knew would be coming when she got home. It had been many years since she had received praise from her father. It seemed that no matter what she did it was never enough. She knew that today would be no different. He would demand to know what had taken them so long on their mission before asking for a complete report. Then he would berate her for getting injured and he would no doubt further berate her for being out performed by Naruto.

There were times when she wished that he would just ignore her as most people ignored Naruto. At least then she wouldn't have to deal with his constant insults. But she knew that would never happen. He like all the rest of the clan expected her to be the heir and it would not do to ignore the heir. Of course if she wasn't the heir then she would be forced to receive the cursed seal when she turned sixteen. Truthfully she wouldn't mind so much as long as she could live the life she wanted. If she was allowed to be with Naruto, to do what she wanted, then she wouldn't mind wearing the seal but even that seemed out of her reach.

Eventually she made it to the front gate of the Hyuuga estate and was welcomed by the guards as she always was. As she walked inside she did her best to try and make it to her room without being noticed. She thought that perhaps if she was able to get to her room before her father saw her then she could shower, change, and be out the door before anyone could question or berate her.

A moment later her hopes were shattered as she heard her father call her name. Sighing deeply at a chance lost Hinata set down her pack and turned to face her father. Steeling herself Hinata looked up at her father and met his gaze steadily for the first time since her mother died. Inside she was having a silent battle of wills over what course of action to take. One half of her wanted to look away and continue to play the meek and hesitant child that she had played for years while the other half demanded that she stand up for herself and her beliefs just like Naruto would do.

For what seemed like an eternity the two sides fought until finally her feelings for Naruto won out and she stood up taller with a look of determination in her eyes. If Naruto believed in her then she would believe in herself and that was all there was to it. She couldn't let him fight her battles for her all the time. He needed her to be strong for both of their sakes and she refused to let him down. So she ruthlessly pushed her self depreciating attitude away into the darkest corner of her being and prepared herself for the battle she knew was ahead.

Hiashi paused for a moment as his daughters entire attitude seemed to shift in an instant and for the first time in her life he saw the power that he knew she had always possessed. It surprised him greatly despite his lack of outward response. He wondered briefly what had caused this shift in her. When she had left for her mission she had still been a shy and timid as always. She had refused to stand up to him and he hoped and prayed she would one day. No matter what he tried she always seemed to show weakness and yet here she stood with a fire burning inside her the likes of which he had never seen. For a moment he almost smiled.

"Why have you returned late Hinata? I was informed by the gate guards that your team returned nearly two hours ago. What has taken you so long? In addition your team was supposed to return some time ago. What caused this delay?" questioned Hiashi while still taking pride in the strength his daughter appeared to be showing. If this kept up she might very well prove to be the heir he knew she could be.

Hinata took a deep breath and then began her report. Slow she explained that she had been asked to stay behind with Naruto to further report on their involvement during the mission which had been quite extensive in comparison to the others, as well as to give testimony about their dealings with a missing-nin that they had returned with. From there she continued to explain about her mission in detail leaving out the part where Naruto tapped into the nine tails power. She finished her report with an explanation of the battle on the bridge and their subsequent team report to the Hokage being sure to include the part about having the week off. All the while she kept her gaze locked with her fathers and never once allowed her voice to falter. She focused on the strength that Naruto gave her and used it to stand up for herself.

Hiashi listened patiently throughout the report, picking up on every detail. As the report progressed he began to see a pattern in the way she spoke. Over and over again she would mention the Uzumaki boy's name, going into detail about things that she would have normally glazed over. And every time she mentioned his take her voice was filled with admiration, respect, and pride. As he continued to listen it became more and more clear that despite his opinions,he had been the catalyst for this change in her. Some how he had inspired her to become the person that he had always known she could be.

Where Hiashi had failed year after year, this boy had succeeded in a matter of weeks. It was unthinkable and yet it was undeniable. Every word she had said was true. Had she been lying he would have known thanks to his Byakugan. For years, he like so many others had thought of the boy as a menace. He was not so stupid as to believe that the boy was a demon or that the demon within would break free. No he had known the fourth for most of his life. They had been good friends and if he said the demon was locked away then that's exactly what it was.

To finally be faced with the undeniable truth that this boy was anything but what everybody made him out to be was a humbling experience. It seemed he would have to allow this to continue, encourage it even. He could not risk having her fall back to the person she had been. No if this boy was able to influence her in such a positive manner then he would see to it that it continued. It would be interesting to see just how far the boy could push her.

Finally her report came to an end and for the first time in many years Hiashi smiled at his daughter causing her eyes to widen in surprise. "It seems to have done you well Hinata. I am glad to see that you have found the strength to stand up for yourself and act like the heir of the Hyuuga should. Tell me… what has caused this change in you? Or perhaps the more accurate question would be who." Questioned Hiashi.

He watched his daughter closely and was surprised to see her blush and look away for a moment. He had nearly sighed thinking she had reverted back already but almost immediately afterwards she returned her gaze to his and held it once more. Hiashi's eyes widened only slightly at the realization that his daughter was infatuated with the boy and that was why he had such an effect on her. At the moment he was unsure of how that made him feel. He was pleased of course as he had been minutes ago that she was coming into her own finally but at the same time he was concerned about her choice in suitors even if they were still young. The boy simply did not have the background which would normally be expected for the companion of the heir. Shaking his head he pushed those thoughts away for the time promising himself he would come back to them. At least for now they had time before that became an issue.

Deciding for the moment to let his daughter off the hook he dismissed her and turned to head back to his room. For tonight at least those thoughts could wait. There would be plenty of time to deal with them later. For now he was just pleased to see some progress.

* * *

Naruto returned home to his small apartment and let himself in. Walking over to the kitchen table he set the scrolls and envelope down before making his way over to the cupboards. Taking out the kettle he filled it with water and placed it on the stove before taking out a bowl of instant ramen. As he waited for the water to boil Naruto headed into his room to unpack his things and start the laundry.

As he made his way from one task to another Naruto found his thoughts floating to the upcoming exams and the work that needed to be done. He wanted his team members to be ready for the battles which lay ahead. The more prepared they were the better the chance of survival. There was no telling what they might run into during the last two parts of the exam this time around. With different team setups there were bound to be differences. He would have to make sure they prepared themselves for the exam before hand and they would have to come up with some type of plan for the second test. He wondered vaguely how they were going to handle having a six man team instead of the standard three man teams.

He was brought out of his musings by the whistle of the kettle and headed back into the kitchen to finish preparing his ramen. After pouring the water into the cup ramen Naruto headed back to the table and took a seat in the only chair he had. Slowly he ate his snack while he stared unseeingly at the scrolls in front of him. Deciding that he really did want to wait for Hinata before he looked them over Naruto finished eating and headed into his room to get some sleep.

* * *

The next morning Naruto awoke to the sound of someone knocking on the door of his apartment. Groaning in annoyance at the sound that dared wake him from the wonderful dream he had been having Naruto opened one eye and looked over at his clock before cursing loudly and scrambling out of bed towards the door. Or rather that's what he would have done if the sheets hadn't gotten tangled around his legs causing him to trip and fall out of bed smashing his face into the ground.

Naruto laid there for a second moaning in pain while he kicked off the sheets before slowly getting back to his feet and walking over to the door. Had he been more awake he might have noticed that he was a little underdressed to be answering the door but as it was he had only just woken up and as such he answered the door without a care in the world. This however did not hold true to the occupant on the other side of the door.

As the door swung open and Naruto stared out the doorway through blurry eyes he was met with an image that made him smile. Standing before him was Hinata, dressed in her standard ninja clothes but without her overly large jacket that she had been known to wear at this age and in her hand was a large carryout bag of ramen. The moment quickly came to an end as Hinata turned an unbelievable shade of red as her mouth hung open and an instant later she was falling forward into the blissful unknown.

Naruto for his part stared at the girl in his arms in confusion for a few moments before finally realizing that he had answered the door in nothing but his boxers where he had met with the one girl who absolutely adored him and was by nature quite shy. In that instant Naruto cursed loudly for the second time that morning as he carried Hinata over to the couch where he put her down before rushing into his room to get dressed lest she wake up and see him in that state again.

After quickly getting dressed Naruto returned to the front door, collected the ramen which had thankfully not be spilled and shut the door before dropping off the package at the table on his way back over to Hinata. Knelling down beside her Naruto stroked her hair gently and whispered softly to her. Had anybody walked in at the time the scene would have no doubt looked quite odd seeing as they were both children but for Naruto it just came naturally.

A few minutes later Hinata opened her eyes and let out a little squeak when she saw him kneeling so close as her cheeks burned red again. In her mind she was still replaying the scene at the front door and found herself smiling inwardly. That would be an image she would cherish for a long time. At least until she was able to get a better view when he got older. Blushing brighter at her thoughts Hinata smiled shyly at Naruto before sitting up.

"So Naruto… what do you want to do today?" she asked as she continued to smile shyly, not quite meeting his eyes. Naruto laughed at her actions before standing up and walking over to the table where he took out the two large bowls of ramen from the carryout bag and bringing them back over to the couch. "Well first I think we should eat this ramen you brought over before it gets cold and goes to waste. Then when we're done we can look over the things that old man Hokage gave me last night. By the way I'm sorry about the show I gave you earlier. I kind of forgot that I was only in my boxers." Said Naruto.

So that was exactly what they did. For the next ten minutes the pair ate their breakfast slowly while Hinata explained the amazing change she had seen in her father the night before and that way she had stood up to him. She had smiled brightly at him when he congratulated her and told her that he had always known that she would gain his respect. As their breakfast finished up the pair fell into a comfortable silence. Naruto collected their containers and threw them in the garbage before picking up the three scrolls and the envelope off the table and making his way back to the couch to sit beside Hinata again.

Setting the scrolls between them Naruto stared at the envelope in his hands for several long moments as he became lost in his thoughts. He was startled a few moments later when he felt a small warm hand on top of one of his. "I'm right here for you Naruto. You don't have to do this by yourself." Naruto smiled warmly at her before looking back at the envelope in his hands and beginning to open it.

Reaching inside Naruto pulled out a large bundle of what he quickly determined to be bank statements and investment reports from the bank. Setting them aside for a moment Naruto reached back inside and pulled out small black folder with a small cloth pouch bound to it. Opening the pouch first Naruto found a single ornately carved gold key which he could only assume was the key to his family estates. Etched into the handle of the key was the trademark swirl which he was familiar with.

Opening the folder carefully Naruto found a copy of his fathers will. What surprised him the most however was the small envelope which he found tucked away into one of the side pockets of the folder. Printed in fancy gold lettering on the front of the envelope was the name "To my most loyal friend: Hyuuga Hiashi". Naruto stared confused for several moments at the letter before handing it to Hinata. "I think this was supposed to go to your father. I wonder why it was never delivered to him. Do you think we should give it to your father or should we hold on to it?" asked Naruto.

Hinata stared at the letter in surprise for several minutes without saying anything. She wondered what it said and like Naruto she wondered why it hadn't been delivered in the first place. Even so she had been around this type of thing enough in her training to become the head of her clan that she knew they had to give it to him and she told him just that. Naruto nodded in agreement and set the letter aside with a note to himself to have Hinata deliver it to her father when they got a chance. Closing the folder he set that aside as well before reaching back into the envelope once more.

Pulling out the last sheet of paper from the envelope Naruto set the envelope aside and looked at the sheet in his hands. Printed on the sheet was a basic layout of his family estate. Within the layout the family vault and several other locations were clearly marked such as the dojo and master suite. Setting it aside as well Naruto reached between them to pick up the statements once more and take a closer look at them. Carefully pulling the straps from the package of statements Naruto removed what looked to be the latest yearly overview of all his fathers' estate including both his bank accounts and his investments. The statement itself was nearly five months old but he reasoned that it would give him a good idea of where things stood and it was better then having to read through every one of the monthly statements for the last eleven years.

Pulling out the report and carefully flipping open the cover Naruto browsed through the cover letter which basically just listed the names of the account managers working on the various accounts and the fees which each were being paid. Flipping to the second page which showed the summary of accounts Naruto nearly dropped the report in shock as he swore in surprise. He had never seen so much money in his life. Carefully Naruto read through the report more closely.

* * *

_Dear account holder_

_Please find below a summary of your holdings as per the nature of our agreement. This report is meant to be a yearly summary of your holdings and is meant to show you the level of gains your holdings have benefited from under our care. Should you have any questions or concerns please contact the appropriate account holder as listed on page one of this report._

_Uzumaki family Investment Account: 17,379,547 Ryo_

_Uzumaki Arashi Investment Account: 5,237,834 Ryo_

_Uzumaki family Business Estate Account: 46,023,834 Ryo_

_Uzumaki Arashi Business Estate Account: 31,347,560 Ryo_

_**Total Estate Balance: 99,988,775 Ryo

* * *

**_

Naruto continued to star blankly at the numbers on the sheet as he gaped open mouthed at the absurdity of it all. For the last twenty some odd years of his life he had been living off of the bare necessities and saving up what he could and all the while he had an inheritance sitting around worth damn near a million Ryo. What a joke. Wordlessly he passed the letter over to Hinata when he noticed her looking at him strangely. The small gasp he heard from his left told him that she had noticed the numbers as well and that they were just as surprising to her as they had been to him.

Deciding that there was no reason to look closer at any of the other statements for the time being Naruto packed up everything back into the envelope leaving the key and the letter to Hinata's father sitting out before setting the large envelope off to the side. Once done he reached between them and picked up one of the scrolls to review it. As he unrolled the scroll to read it he quickly realized that it was the letter from his parents but yet it was not the one which he had dreamed about some weeks earlier. He wondered briefly if that dream had been just that… a dream… or if he would find that letter lying around somewhere within the estate. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts Naruto set about reading the only words he had from his parents.

* * *

_To our dear son_

_If you are reading this letter then it means we are gone. Between your mother and me we must have re-written this letter dozens of times. It never seems like it's enough. But then how could a letter ever truly be enough to express how much we love you, our only child and how sorry we are that we couldn't be with you, to see you grow up._

_Where does one start when they write a letter to a child they may never have known, that is the question we find ourselves asking right now. I suppose the most important thing is for you to know that no matter what else you believe, know that we love you. We would give almost anything to be there with you right now but it just isn't within our power._

_We want you to know that no matter what you are never alone. We are always watching over you and there are people who will help you along your journey to adulthood. If you need anything seek out my good friend Hiashi. Do not let his stern face fool you. The man is a big softy inside. If he is alive you will forever find a friend in him. If Hiashi is not available then go to Sarutobi. He has always been like a grandfather to me. The man has a heart of gold and is perhaps one of the most skilled ninja your mother and I have ever met._

_Finally if Sarutobi is not available look for Jiraiya my teacher and mentor. Learn all you can from him but make sure you don't follow in his perverted foot steps or your mother will haunt you for the rest of your life._

_Your mother would like you to know that you can do whatever makes you happy. Do not feel obligated to follow in our footsteps and become a ninja. At the time of this writing there is a good deal of money in our combined investment and personal accounts so regardless of what you choose you will be comfortable. Live the life that makes you happy and no matter what you do always remember to push the limits to better yourself._

_My son I would encourage you to go through the contents of the clan vault. Within this vault you will find information on your bloodline limit, clan jutsu, seals, and a wealth of other information that you will find nowhere else. Most importantly however you will find a package from us. I can not tell you exactly what will be in there at this time as it deals with a project your mother and I are currently working on and as such I am not sure how much will be finished by the time you read this letter. Even so we suggest you check it out. Remember that you are free to do with your life as you please but consider all your options carefully. The sky is your limit._

_Love Mom & Dad

* * *

_

Naruto held onto the letter tightly as he fought desperately to keep control over his emotions. His emotions had been a mess since he had come back and just when he thought he was getting a handle on them this had to happen. Despite his best efforts however he could not hold back the torrent of tears which slowly began to run down his cheeks and drip onto the scroll in his hands. It was just too much. He would have given it all up, everything just to have them back, just to spend one day with them but he knew that he would never get that wish.

It was strange he thought that he could be affected this much by a simple letter. After all the years of battle and hardship one would think you would have gotten a better handle on your emotions. He supposed that some things just defied logic. He had never had parents, never gotten to experience so many things that others took for granted and now, holding a letter that he knew they had held in their hands. It was worth more to him then everything else combined.

Deciding that he had had enough for today Hinata took the letter from his hands, rolled it up and placed it aside before pulling him into her arms and rocking him back and forth as she had several times before. It was amazing to her how this simple action could have so much power over someone. She remembered her mother doing it for her and she remembered how she would feel every time she did it. It was calming in a way she simply couldn't explain.

"Look at me. I'm such a baby. I can't even handle reading a letter from my long dead parents without blubbering like a little girl. You must think I'm a pansy or something." said Naruto with a hollow laugh. Hinata shook her head and held him tighter while continuing to rock back and forth. "No Naruto… I don't think that at all. I think you're the bravest person I've ever met. I just think that you're a little overwhelmed right now. This is nothing to be ashamed about. There's nothing you could do to make me think any less of you." said Hinata.

Naruto smiled up at her as his eyes shined with unshed tears. "I'm not sure how I ever got through these years without you. It's only been a few months since I've been back and already your such a big part of my life it's hard to believe you weren't before." Said Naruto. Hinata was about to respond when they were disturbed by a knock at the door. Naruto looked over at the clock on the wall and smiled. "Looks like it's time to get our exam permission forms. It's perfect timing too. Once we get them we can go talk to your dad to drop off the letter and then we can get started on your training. We have a week to train before the exams start and I have an idea on how we can increase that exponentially providing I can make it work. We'll have to see." Said Naruto as he climbed off the couch and walked to the door.

Upon opening the door he was met by his sensei Kurenai. "Hello Kurenai-sensei. Can I help you with something? I thought we had this week off." Stated Naruto as Hinata approached his side. Kurenai raised an eyebrow when she spotted her and then smirked a bit at the pair. "Well isn't this cozy. What have you two been up to? Nothing naughty I hope. I'd hate to have to give you two the talk so early in life." said Kurenai before bursting out laughing at the sight of the two kids blushing like crazy.

"KURENAI-SENSAIIII" squeaked Hinata as her face continued to burn. Kurenai continued to laugh before finally getting control of herself. "Ok, ok… I'm sorry I just couldn't help myself. You two are just too easy to embarrass. The real reason I'm here is to tell you that the chuunin exams are going to take place in a week and Kakashi and I have decided to enter you and your team mates. If you're interested in taking the exam you need to fill out these permission forms and meet us at the room listed on the form by 11am on the day of the exam. Well that's all I have to tell you two and I still need to find Shino so I'll see you guys at the exam." Said Kurenai as she took off.

Naruto chuckled as he took the form over to the table where he set it down and headed for his room to find a pen. A few moments later he returned and the pair filled out the forms before putting them away safely and heading over to the couch to pick up the letter, key, and jutsu scroll. After looking around once more to ensure that he had everything Naruto lead Hinata out of the apartment and the pair headed off towards her place.

* * *

Hiashi sat in his private study thinking over the most recent clan meeting that he had attended that morning and sighed tiredly. It seemed that nothing ever got done in those meetings. The elders only cared for themselves and their own families. As far as they were concerned the clan could burn in hell as long as they profited from it. It sickened him to see what had become of his once proud and mighty clan. For them to have fallen so far and to have let it go unnoticed was inexcusable.

Sighing once again Hiashi thought about his nephew. The boy was considered to be a prodigy of the Hyuuga and yet he would never have the respect of the clan simply because he was born into the branch family just like Hiashi's own brother. To think if he had just been born after his brother instead of before then Neji would be in the main house now and he would have the respect he deserves.

Shaking his head to try and clear away the negative thoughts Hiashi moved onto other matters. He thought back to the visit he had received from Kakashi early in the day. Hinata had just left a few minutes earlier to meet with the Uzumaki boy when the copy cat ninja had arrived. Hiashi smiled at the memory of that meeting. Yes it seemed that Hinata was improving a great deal these days. To be invited to the chuunin exams as a rookie was an extraordinary honor and not something that just anyone received. It seemed that Naruto had been having a stronger influence on her then he assumed.

He had been looking forward to talking to her about that very thing earlier in the morning but by the time he had left to check on her she had already left. He would have to be sure to talk to her about this at the next possible opportunity to ensure he set some ground rules. He wanted to encourage her growth as much as possible but he also wanted to make it clear that a relationship between them would not be tolerated. As much as the boy's skills impressed him he simply did not live up to the standards of the clan.

Hiashi sighed at that thought. In truth he didn't care about his upbringing and heritage. The boy had skill, potential, and he seemed to have a charisma about him that drew people to him and forced them to better themselves. The change in Hinata was a perfect example of that power. If he made her happy then he would like nothing more then for her to enjoy that happiness but the clan elders would never go for it. If it had just been the issue with the nine tails he might have been able to get past it but if there was anything else wrong they would pick up on that and force the issue. No it simply was possible and for that he was sorry for both of them.

Clearing his mind with great effort Hiashi looked down at the desk in front of him and picked up a piece of paperwork which sat in front of him before sighing again. There was far too much paperwork with this job. Bringing his pen down towards the signature line Hiashi was interrupted from his work by a knock on the door. Sighing for what felt like the hundredth time that hour Hiashi called out to whoever was behind the door. "Come in."

Hiashi watched as the door slid open and was surprised to see the very people of his musings standing before him. In the doorway stood his daughter Hinata and her teammate Naruto. Turning away from his desk to face the pair Hiashi beckoned them in while narrowing his eyes slightly in confusion at the boy. He wondered briefly why he had accompanied her home in the first place. That thought however was completely whipped away when the pair bowed to him before taking her spots in front of him. His eyes widened at the display of manners coming from the usually brazen and loud mouthed boy.

"Hello father. I apologize if we've disturbed you. We have something important to talk to you about. Would you perhaps have a moment to talk?" questioned Hinata. Hiashi was both surprised and pleased by the course of events. Surprised by the statement that the pair had something to talk to him about. It was one thing for his daughter to have something to talk to him about but what could the Uzumaki boy possibly have to discuss. Unless… Oh he had better not have done anything with his little girl or he would kill the boy and to hell with the Hokage's orders.

He was pleased on the other hand that his daughter seemed to be completely over her previous attitude. From the moment she had walked into the room she had held his gaze and talked confidently except for when she bowed to him. Well there was no point wasting time over analyzing the situation. Might as well let them talk and issue judgment after the fact.

"Very well Hinata. I believe I can spare a few minutes to discuss whatever it is you wish to speak to me about. What can I do for you and your friend?" questioned Hiashi. Hinata smiled at her father before taking out the envelope from her pocket and sliding it across the small table that separated them. "Naruto just received his inheritance last night from Hokage-sama and this morning when we were looking through it this envelope was found included with a copy of the will. It's addressed to you and we thought we should bring it to you so that you could look it over and tell us what it says if it has anything to do with Naruto." Explained Hinata.

Looking back and forth between the boy and the envelope Hiashi raised an eyebrow in surprise. For what possible reason would a letter be addressed to him from the boys parents. He didn't even know who the boy's parents were. He was supposed to be an orphan from the Kyuubi attack and nobody ever knew who his parents actually were. Of all the people to send a letter he should have been the last to receive one, it just didn't make any sense.

Picking up the letter carefully he read the words on the front of the envelope slowly. "To my good friend Hyuuga Hiashi". Upon reading the words his eyes shot open wide and he whipped his head around towards the boy sitting in front of him. "Imp…impossible." Stuttered Hiashi as he continued to look between the two kids in front of him and the letter in his hands. Finally getting control of his emotions again Hiashi turned his attention back to the letter before reaching behind him and picking up his letter opener.

Slitting the top of the envelope open he set the letter opener down and extracted the letter from its case. With slightly shaking hands he unfolded the single piece of paper from the letter and began to read.

* * *

_My dear friend Hiashi_

_Where do I begin with a letter like this, I just don't know. It is just days before the Kyuubi is due to attack and I can feel it deep inside that these are my last. It is for that reason that I write you this letter my friend. _

_I must ask of you the greatest favor I have ever asked and I know that you will not let me down. I suppose before I get to my favor there are a few things I should explain that I have been hiding from you and almost everybody else. You see my friend I am married._

_I know you are unaware of this but I have been married for several months now. For the last year and a half I have been seeing the most amazing woman I have ever laid eyes on. She is a shinobi from the ANBU corps. And I have fallen hopelessly in love with her. Isn't that a laugh? Me falling in love, it just shouldn't have happened. After all I was always the ladies man of the two of us but it happened none the less. _

_My wife is pregnant Hiashi and I fear for my child's safety. The doctors tell us well be having a beautiful baby boy in just three days time. I fear that I will need to condemn him to a life of hatred and loneliness. What's more I do not believe that either his mother or I will be there for him._

_And so we come to my favor. I beg you my friend. Take care of my son. See to it that he always has someone to turn to. You are my greatest and most loyal friend. I know that I can depend on you. I know that you will protect him from the harshness of our people and that you will show him the love that we can not._

_Well I suppose this is goodbye my friend. May we meet again in the next life. I shall say hello to your wife for you when I see her._

_Your friend_

_Uzumaki Arashi

* * *

_

Hinata's eyes widened as she watched her father begin to cry as he read the letter. She had never seen her father cry. Even when their mother had died he had seemed to hold it in. never had he allowed himself to appear so weak in front of others. She could only imagine what this letter must say to cause such a reaction. She was startled further when she heard his words flutter through the deathly silence of the room. "I've failed you my friend. I'm so sorry. I swear I'll make it up to you. I'll make it up to him."

And just as quickly as they had come she watched the tears and sadness in his eyes had come they were replaced with a look of pure unadulterated hatred. When next his words came they were cold as ice and she shivered at the killer intent she felt coming off him. "I'll kill them for this. Those bastards, how dare they hold this back from me? They did it on purpose. I know they did. I swear they'll pay. They will learn what it is means to cross the head of the HYUUGA CLAN." And as he said these things his voice steadily rose until he was yelling the last couple of words.

Hinata watched as her father seemed to visibly fight with his emotions until finally he got them under control and he turned warm eyes on the two of them. The entire scene had been just too weird to handle. She had never seen her father act like this before. She wondered what had been written in the letter, she wondered who THEY were but most of all she was glad that she wasn't THEM because whoever they were there was going to be hell for whatever they did to upset him so.

"I… I'm sorry for my behavior Hinata, Naruto. I have much to do right now so if you will excuse me. Before you leave however I wanted to say thank you for your help Naruto. You have had a great effect on my daughter and I could not be more pleased. Whatever it is your doing keep it up. I would like to talk to you both again another time. For now I suggest you go train for your exams and we can talk some other time. Once again I apologize for my actions and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day." Said Hiashi and with that he walked out the door and practically ran towards the front entrance.

Naruto and Hinata exchanged confused looks with each other before shrugging and standing up. "Well I guess we'll figure out what that was all about another time whenever we get together to talk again. For now your father is right. We need to go train but before we do that I need to take us to TenTen's family store so that we can check out their ninja equipment. I just hope they have what I need for this plan to work. It will do wonders for your training. Come on lets go." And with that he practically dragged her out of the room and towards the front of the estate where her father had exited moments earlier.

* * *

Hiashi was seeing red when he burst into the Hokage tower and marched up the stairs right past the secretary who was yelling at him not to enter and then right past the guards who quickly got out of his way when they saw the look on his face. Bursting into the Hokage's office Hiashi stomped towards his desk and slammed the letter down on the desk causing the Hokage to look up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"May I help you Hiashi. Perhaps you should sit down and have something to drink. You look a little upset." Stated Sarutobi as he leaned back in his chair and looked across the desk at his obviously fuming colleague. Hiashi snorted before taking the offer of a cup of sake and draining it in one gulp before slamming it back on the desk and glaring at the old man. "Upset doesn't even began to explain what I am old man. I'll kill those old bastards for this. How dare they keep this from me." yelled Hiashi as he shook the letter in front of him causing the Hokage to chuckle slightly.

"Well I assure you Hiashi I don't know who it is you're talking about or what you are talking about but one thing I am certain of is I would hate to be these people when you get your hands on them. Now why don't you calm down and explain to me who kept what from you and perhaps we can work this out peacefully." Commented Sarutobi. Once again Hiashi snorted in disgust before throwing the letter down on the desk.

"There's nothing peaceful about what I intend to do. When I get my hands on those bastards I am going to kick their asses all over this piece of shit village. How dare they treat his son like this? HIS SON… If I had known, if I had just been told I would have done SOMETHING. ANYTHING to save the boy from the hell he's lived in and now… now I've failed my friend and his son and it's entirely their fault. Those bastards." Said Hiashi as he broke down once again blaming himself for his perceived failure.

Sarutobi stared in shock at the sobbing man across from him. He had only ever twice seen him in such a state. The first had been when he was told about Arashi's death, the second when his wife had died. Suddenly he was very worried about what this letter said and quickly he snatched it up to begin reading it. Slowly his features darkened as he read on before setting it down and pounding back a cup of his own sake.

"Where did you get this Hiashi? Who was it that kept this from you and how." Questioned Sarutobi. Hiashi looked up with fire in his eyes once more. His emotions were getting the best of him and he was fighting desperately to keep it together until he could get through with this and return to the privacy of his room where he could have some time alone to pull himself together.

"It was the council. Don't you see? Naruto gave this letter to me today when he and my daughter visited me in my private study. They told me that they found the letter tucked away in a folder that contained a copy of his will. The only way it could have gotten there was if the council had it placed there and then sealed inside something else so that nobody could check it. The letter was meant to be delivered directly to me. He begged me to take in his son. Instead the boy has lived alone and hated with nobody to turn to for nearly twelve years. TWELVE YEARS. They kept this from me on purpose and I'm positive the Hyuuga council of elders is not without blame in this. If I had received this letter Naruto would have been adopted by the Hyuuga clan and they would have perceived that as a taint on the family. Those bastards went behind my back and forced me to betray my friend. I demand revenge for this slight." Stated Hiashi in an icy cool voice.

Sarutobi stared evenly at Hiashi and sighed. He had been afraid that was what had happened. If it had been included within the larger envelope there would have never been a way for him to look into it. The council had delivered the envelope already sealed. They wouldn't have dared hold anything back but they apparently had no problem including something 'by accident' that was supposed to be delivered elsewhere. Yes he could see exactly how it had happened and it did not sit well with him at all.

"Please leave this situation with me for the time being Hiashi. Let us deal with the chuunin exams for now and when they are done we shall deal with the village and Hyuuga councils together. For now there is too much to do to deal with this properly." Requested Sarutobi. He watched as Hiashi's eyes grew hard before he nodded curtly and turned on his heel marching out the door.

Sarutobi watched the Hyuuga head leave and picked up the letter once more before putting it aside. _'It seems that you have another advocate now Naruto. Perhaps we can use this change in events to our benefit for the upcoming problems we shall face. Hiashi would be a powerful ally to have at our side in the upcoming battles. Yes I shall have to talk to you about this Naruto.'_ Thought Sarutobi before going back to the paperwork he had been doing previously before being interrupted.

* * *

Naruto and Hinata entered TenTen's family shop about ten minutes after leaving her house. They had stopped quickly at the bank to pick up the funds for what Naruto hoped would be available at the weapon shop. If they didn't have what he was looking for he was going to have to make them himself and he wasn't sure if he was good enough at seals yet to do so. Without them it would be nearly impossible to do the training he had in mind for Hinata as she wasn't good enough at her power transfer technique yet to maintain it during a hard work out.

Stepping up to the counter the pair was met by an older man that looked to be in his late thirties early forties. He greeted them with a smile on a face as he leaned against the counter. "What can I do for you two today?" he asked as he continued smiling at them. Hinata looked over at Naruto looking for the answering to that question as well since he had not told her yet and raised an eyebrow at him letting him know she was waiting.

Naruto chuckled at her obvious impatience before turning back to the store owner who he remembered to be TenTen's father. "I'm looking for a special type of body wraps. I understand that they are very hard to come by and quite expensive but I was told that your store tends to stock those types of hard to find items." Stated Naruto.

The older man chuckled and nodded his head. "Yes we do tend to find and stock a more unique select of items along with the everyday selection. I'm surprised someone so young would be looking for something of that nature. If you tell me what exactly makes these wraps so special I might be able to find a pair for you." stated the man.

Naruto grinned one of his face splitting grins before answering. "These particular wraps are supposed to have chakra storage seals weaved into them. In particular they have high capacity seals. I for sure need one set but if you have them I'd be interested to take five sets." Explained Naruto. Hinata's eyes widened at his words. Something like that would cost a small fortune. The seal work needed for a piece of clothing to store chakra without dissipating over a short period of time was extensive. It involved layered sealing and that kind of work was extraordinarily expensive.

The old man raised an eyebrow at his request before leaning forward closer. "You sure you can afford this kid. I think I got at least one pair of something like that but they aren't cheap. These things are ridiculously expensive, to the point that there almost prohibitively so." explained the store owner.

Naruto smiled again and nodded. "Yeah, money's not a problem. If you got them I'm interested." explained Naruto. The old man nodded his head and turned away from the counter before heading into the back room. For a few minutes Naruto and Hinata stood alone in the story listening to the owner root around in the back room before he came back with three boxes about the size of shoe boxes. After setting them down on the counter he turned his attention back to them again.

"Ok kid… this is what you're looking for I believe although it might be a little more then what you were expecting. These are wrap sets. Each box has a chest wrap, two leg wraps, and two arm wraps. Each wrap is multilayered with seals. There are three types of seals you need to be aware of. The first is a durability seal. These things are touch as kunai. You're not going to rip them easily. The benefit is that if some body say whips a kunai at you it's going to slow it down a bit. It isn't going to stop it but it should at least lessen the injury. Mostly it's meant to ensure they don't get damaged to badly in battle."

"The second seal is a longevity seal. Obviously you're going to be storing chakra in these things since that's their primary purpose. This seal will all the chakra to remain stored without seeping out slowly. Both these seals feed on the chakra you place in them but it's not enough that you'd notice much of a drain. Finally the last seal is the high capacity chakra storage seals are actually weaved into the wraps so regardless which way you wear them the seal is always in contact with your skin allowing you to siphon chakra from the wraps as needed or store chakra within." Explained the owner.

"These wraps are designed to increase a typical jonin's chakra capacity to quadruple the capacity so for a genin like you it should put you through the roof so to speak. Anyways I only got three sets. If you want another two it'll take a while to find them so come back in a month and I'll have a couple more pairs." Finished explaining the owner.

Naruto nodded his head before taking out his wallet. "Ok everything looks in order. How much is this going to cost me?" questioned Naruto. The old man seemed to look at him for a minute before sighing when he realized he was serious. "Alright kid if you really think you can afford it. Their normally 2,700 Ryo each but since your buying three sets I'll do it for you for 7,000 Ryo for the set of three." Suggested the old man. Naruto smirked at him before laying out the money on the counter and taking his spoils as he led Hinata back out the door and towards his apartment.

* * *

Arriving at the apartment Naruto left Hinata outside as he ran inside and grabbed the sheet of paper that told him how to find the estate and where everything in the estate was. Upon his return Naruto lead Hinata towards the most north eastern edge of town. This area of town was exclusive to the Uzumaki clan and had not been used in nearly twelve years. As they passed through the arched entryway, which lead into this previously abandoned part of town, the pair began to notice definite changes in the atmosphere. Where as the rest of the city tended to be more modern and exciting this area of town was filled with giant gardens, large ponds and streams, and heavily forested areas. After a few minutes of walking they rounded a corner and came to a halt at the scene that greeted them.

Before them stood quite possibly the largest clan building either of them had ever seen. For Hinata, who had lived in the Hyuuga main house all her life, she was more than a little surprised to notice that it appeared to be at least three if not four times the size of her own families estate. Even more surprising was that her Byakugan could not penetrate the walls of the estate. There appeared to be very complex sealing down throughout the entire complex. At the very least this sealing prevented her bloodline from working but for the amount of seals she could see on the outer wall alone she had to believe that there was more to it then that.

Slowly the pair walked forward towards the large arched gates that could be seen in the distance. They took their time walking so they could take in everything about the place. It was hard to believe that even after sitting for twelve years it could look this amazing. Then again Sarutobi had said that he had been taking care of it. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts he pulled Hinata forward deciding they could look around later. For now they had things to do.

As they approached the gate which towered over them they spotted words written intricately into the archway above. Written in a language Naruto had never seen before were the words '**Audaces fortuna iuvat**'. Naruto stared strangely at the words for a few moments before turning to face Hinata. "Any idea what that says?" he asked. Hinata smiled at him before nodding. "I think it suits you and your clan perfectly Naruto. It's written in Latin and stands for 'Fortune favors the bold'." Explained Hinata

Naruto laughed and nodded in agreement. It did suit his clan and it certainly suited him as well. If he was anything it was bold. Pulling the key from his pocket Naruto stuck the key the gate and immediately felt a series of seals on the gate flare to life. For an instant he felt as if his body was on fire and then it was gone and the seals on the gate glowed brightly before it swung open. Naruto for his part was staring in shock at the gate before turning to Hinata.

"What the HELL was that?" questioned Naruto. Hinata just moved her jaw up and down doing a perfect imitation of a fish out of water until finally she seemed to come to her senses. "That… That was a blood seal. It's the most powerful protection seal there is to ensure that only a blood relative can gain access to whatever it protects. If you try to open it and you're not related to the sealer by blood… well lets just say it's apparently not pretty. But… But… Hokage-sama said there had been others here doing cleaning. There must have been for the place to look like this. How could there be a seal like that on this gate if that was the case?" asked Hinata to nobody in particular.

Naruto turned around in a complete circle and then spotted a smaller gate down near the end of the property. "Hey Hinata they must have used that gate down there. It doesn't look as fancy. Maybe it's a servant's gate or something which would explain why it wouldn't have the same seals. Oh well no point worrying about it right now. For the time being the seals are deactivated I think so we're good. Let's go inside." Said Naruto. Taking her hand Naruto led her forward quickly.

As the young couple approached the doors to the large estate before them they completely failed to notice the tall boy who stood watching them from a distance. His body cloaked in a thick coat with sun glasses covering his eyes and bugs flying around him. Shino watched as Hinata and Naruto entered the estate and raised an eyebrow in curiosity.


	14. Training and Chuunin exam round one

**Author Notes:**

Welcome to chapter fourteen of Second Chances. This chapter gets us into the Chuunin exams and is sure to be a great read. The next couple of chapters will deal with endless twists and turns in the story line and will focus for the most part on the second and third parts of the chuunin exams which will really heat things up. Be sure to stay tuned.

* * *

**Second Chances**

Chapter Fourteen: Training and Chuunin exam round one

By Cybergades

* * *

Naruto and Hinata entered the large estate grounds and approached the front door to the main complex. Stepping forward Naruto gently laid his hand on the door and slowly moved it aside to reveal the largest entrance hall he had ever seen. Straight ahead at the far end of the room was a large spiral staircase heading up towards the upper floors. The walls were lined with doors, hallways, and various small pieces of furniture such as chairs, end tables that held vases and other decorations, and various large mirrors that accented the room. Aside from the staircase and these various furnishings the only other thing in the room was a large attractive fountain. The fountain was located in the exact centre of the entrance hall and depicted two ninja locked in battle. One of them was obviously Arashi while the other was unknown to Naruto.

Stepping further into the entrance hall Naruto and Hinata began a closer inspection of the area around them. The right and left walls each had one set of large sliding doors which Naruto assumed were likely common areas that were used by the whole clan. The back wall just behind the spiral staircase was made almost exclusively of glass with several sets of doors leading outside into the huge courtyard. From where they were standing Naruto could tell that something was etched into all of the glass but could not make it out. In the centre of the courtyard was what looked to be a large sparing area that Naruto assumed was used for more public spars where others would be watching, perhaps even for clan training. In the distance behind the courtyard the pair could just make out some of the outlying buildings allow at the time they weren't sure what they were for.

Naruto stared in awe at the enormity of it all. It was just so incredible. It was hard to believe that all of this was his now. More then that it had been here his whole life and he had never known about it. Even in the future he had been completely unaware of his heritage and the things that had been left behind for him. Had he known then what he knew now things might have turned out differently. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts he figured that it didn't matter now. The important thing was that he knew now and that this time around he would put that knowledge to good use. From his side he felt Hinata tug on his sleeve and turned around to look at her before jumping about three feet in the air when he spotted Shino standing not ten feet away. "Damn it Shino DON'T DO THAT. You damn near gave me a heart attack." yelled Naruto while shaking his head as his lips began to twitch slightly.

Shino for his part inclined his head slightly before responding. "My apologizes Naruto, Hinata… May I inquire as to your purpose and motive for coming onto these premises as well as how you managed to gain access? My family takes care of a lot of the gardens and forests on these grounds. We also house several of our colonies here. To the best of my knowledge only a blood member of the Uzumaki clan is capable of opening those gates." Inquired Shino

Naruto sighed and looked over at Hinata. "Oh well it had to come out eventually." Said Naruto to nobody in particular. "Ok Shino I'll tell you but not a word to ANYONE and I mean ANYONE. This stays between the three of us. Ok?" asked Naruto. Shino inclined his head once more and Naruto sighed in relief. "It's really pretty simple Shino. I received my inheritance last night from the Hokage after you guys left the office and as hard as it is to believe it turns out my father was not only a member of the Uzumaki clan but he happened to be the Fourth Hokage. I got a copy of his will and what not back at my apartment. I was just bringing Hinata by so we could check the place out a bit before I moved in. Now that I see the grounds though I think I'll use it for training as well. I didn't realize that I even had a clan let alone one that was so prestigious. This place is huge. We were just about to give ourselves a self guided tour, care to join us?" inquired Naruto.

Shino's eyebrows shot up under his hood as his eyes widened behind his glasses. "Your father was the Fourth?" questioned Shino in a slightly higher then normal tone. Naruto laughed at having finally caught Shino off guard with something and nodded his head. Shino seemed to freeze for a few moments as he tried to get himself under control once more before responding. "How interesting. I believe I shall take you up on your offer." Inclined Shino as he stepped forward.

Naruto nodded his head in acceptance and then turned back to Hinata who was busy looking around once again. "So I guess we might as well start down here and work our way up. Then we can take a look at the grounds once we're done with the house unless you two have any better ideas." Suggested Naruto. Shino seemed to consider this for a moment before nodding his head in agreement while Hinata smiled a chirped a happy "sounds great" over her shoulder as she made her way towards the large set of doors in the middle of the left wall.

Hinata was the first to reach the doors and gently pulled them open causing them to slide away from her in both directions. Both Naruto and Hinata sucked in breath in surprise while Shino standing behind them had his mouth drop open in astonishment. Before the trio was perhaps the largest library that any of them had ever seen in their lives. This was saying a lot for both Naruto and Hinata as they had both seen the Hyuuga library which until now they had believe to be the largest around. Naruto for his part had also seen both the Hokage and Kazekage personal libraries in the future and neither of them compared in size or beauty to the one laid out before them now.

The first thing they noticed after getting over the shook of it's sheer size and beauty was the long walkway that led away from the doors towards the centre of the room. From their current vantage point they could make out a few worktables spread out in the middle of the library in what appeared to be a work area of some type. The walkway was the only open area available to them with the rest of the space being filled with crisscrossing isles filled with bookshelves. The shelves themselves faced towards the walls with their sides facing the walkway. Each row of shelves were spaced out by roughly 6 to 7 feet and their appeared to be gaps in the individual rows ever so often to allow people to pass between rows. The floor was made of a gleaming cheery hardwood that seemed to almost sparkle in the dim light of the library. In general the layout of the actual shelves resembled any other library they had been in but the sheer size of the place clearly set it apart from all others.

When the trio finally made their way to the center of the room they found themselves stopping in surprise once again as they looked up, and up, and up some more. Unlike the rest of the library the centre was wide open as they had originally expected. The area was filled with worktables evenly spread out along with several clusters of comfy leather reading chairs. Most astonishing however was the ceiling. From the centre of the library all three floors could be seen as the ceiling had been removed from the first and second floors so that only the third floor ceiling remained. The second and third floors seemed to have just as many books as the first floor while only lacking the obviously large study area they were currently standing in. It was simply and incredible sight to behold.

Shooting off from the center of the room were more then a hundred rows of shelves going in all direction. For the next twenty minutes or so the trio browsed the library and scoped out its boundaries, growing more and more impressed as they did so. On the second and third floors they found that the library was actually somewhat smaller with the right hand wall landing less then twenty feet from the railing that overlooked the study area below. Along this wall were several doors that lead out into hallways on those floors.

Back on the bottom floor Naruto led the way out of the library and towards the set of doors on the opposite side of the entrance hall. Pulling them open in a similar manner as Hinata had previously the trio stepped inside what was obviously the dining area. The room was filled with polished tables and comfortable looking high back chairs. The walls were lined with gorgeous china cabinets filled with gleaming dishes. The floor like library was made of a magnificent cherry hardwood that you could practically see your reflection in.

Looking around for a few minutes the trio decided to make their way through the rest of the bottom floor before heading upstairs to explore the second and third floors. The rest of the bottom floor proved to be just as amazing. In the far side of the right wing of the complex Naruto had come across a huge room which could only be described as a recreation room. The room was nearly the size of the size of the dining room and was filled with things to do. at the back of the room was a huge big screen TV surrounded by leather couches and chairs, all of which looked to be incredibly comfortable. The middle of the room had a slightly raised platform. Over the platform were several rows of hanging lights and small speakers pointed downwards. It took a few minutes for them to realize that the platform was actually a dance floor. To the right of the dance floor was a large stand which held several large speakers and what looked like a large CD player with a disc changer. The rest of the room was filled with various games such as pool or table hockey. All in all it looked like a great place to through a party which seemed to be the point.

The large bathhouse on the bottom floor also looked interesting and Naruto was looking forward to trying it out. Aside from these things they also came across the kitchen and laundry room as well as over a dozen bedrooms of varying sizes and designs. When they finally made it back to the entrance hall over an hour had passed since they had begun exploring the place. For the next two hours the were spent exploring the second and third floors which were less interesting then the first. Both floors were primarily filled with bedrooms and suites. Several large meeting rooms were found on the second floor but other then that it was just more of the same.

The only notable thing found during the rest of the tour of the main house was the master suite located on the third floor directly across from the library. The master suite was made up of four rooms which took up the vast majority of the remaining space across from the library on that floor. The door to the master suite led into the entrance room as Hinata called it. The back wall was lined with several windows which would flood the room with light when the curtains were not closed. The curtains were made of a thick velvety material and were a gorgeous crimson red accented with gold trim. In the centre of the room was a small round table which held an empty vase. Along the left wall was a entertainment system complete with TV, DVD player and stereo system. Along the right wall was a large leather couch facing the TV. On both walls were a single set of sliding doors leading into the accompanying rooms.

Through the door on the right was the bedroom. Similar to the entrance room the back wall had several large windows which would provide light to the room during the day. The windows were covered in the same crimson curtains and along the back wall was a large four poster bed complete with curtains. The bed was perhaps the largest bed Naruto had ever seen and it was extremely luxurious which he supposed made sense seeing as how it was the master suite. Across from the bed was a small vanity flanked on either side by two large walk in closets which after entering Naruto quickly determined was actually one very large walk in closet. On the right wall was a large door which led to the bathroom.

The master bathroom turned out to be quite the sight for all three of the would-be explorers. Even for Hinata who was used to being part of a prestigious clan and part of the main family to boot it was still quite the surprise to find such a luxurious. Just inside the door to the right was a large shower stall which was easily big enough to fit several people. the stall walls were lined with six showerheads made of gleaming silver all pointing towards the centre of the stall from different directions which Naruto assumed would create the effect of standing under a waterfall of sorts, being buffeted with water from all sides. On the back wall of the shower were several small push buttons in the shape of the Uzumaki swirl which Hinata thought likely resulted in soap or shampoo and the like being dispensed when you pushed them. The sliding glass doors into stall only accented to sleek design.

Across from the shower stall was the toilet along with the double sinks imbedded into the marble countertop. A single large mirror stretched the length of the wall over the sinks with a row of light bulbs lined up above it. Perhaps the most impressive sight in the washroom however was the bathtub if you could call it that. Naruto for his part thought it looked more like a really small swimming pool or a really large hot tub. Judging by the various buttons they found along the side it certainly doubled as the latter.

The tub was roughly twelve feet squared and four feet deep. In the middle of the tub was a large circle structure which rose up nearly five feet over the top of the tub and was roughly four feet wide. The structure was lined with faucets at roughly a foot above the tub and contained a single pair of taps to adjust the temperature of all of them. In total their appeared to be over a dozen faucets. Just above the faucets were the same spirals levers which dispensed soap and the like and nearly four feet above that at the top of structure was a large fountain or something of that nature. Without turning it on they couldn't be sure but from the looks of the design it appeared to be meant to simulate a waterfall. The edges of the fountain hung out just over a foot away from the edge of the structure where the water would pour out of it creating a curtain of water when turned on. It was another thing Naruto couldn't wait to try.

When they had made their way back to the entrance room the trio headed through the only door they hadn't checked out yet. That was how they currently found themselves standing inside Naruto's father's private study. The study was a cozy place where Naruto could see himself spending long hours working on any number of different things. Like the other two rooms the wall to the right of the door was lined with windows and curtains. The left hand wall had a large desk in the middle of it with two large bookcases flanking on either side. The centre of the room had a large circular conference table surround by six comfy chairs. The entire back wall however was covered in an intricate design of the Uzumaki swirl.

Walking over to the desk Naruto searched for the letter he had seen his father leave for him the day of the Kyuubi attack. After a few moments of shuffling papers around he finally found it. Leaning over the desk to read it Naruto felt tears come to his eyes before slowly coursing down his cheeks as he got farther along in the letter.

* * *

_To my dear son_

_I hope that this letter finds you well on your sixteenth birthday. It is with a heavy heart that a write this letter knowing that I will never get to see you grow up. It hurts me so to know that I am the one that must cause you so much pain in your life and that I will not be their to help you carry the burden. Without a doubt Sarutobi will be the new Hokage when I am gone since he is still young enough to resume his previous role. I know that he will take care of you no matter what happens._

_Naruto there are so many things that I want to tell you but I have so little time and so I must rely on Sarutobi to teach you the most important of these things when the time comes. For now I wish only to give you my love and to tell you of your heritage so that you know where you have come from._

_It is my wish that you live the life of a hero as you are the true hero of the day my son. When the time comes, I will seal the Kyuubi within you at the cost of my life and the life of our clan but it shall be you that must bare him and keep him sealed away, it will be you that must tame his soul and use his power, and even though it pains me to believe it, it will be you that must suffer the hate and prejudice of the village as you grow up. _

_I am not a fool as the council thinks I am. I know that they will not follow my final order to give you the life you deserve and by the time Sarutobi takes his seat as Hokage it will be too late for him to save you from this fate. I ask for your forgiveness Naruto for the life that I have condemned you to but I also ask for you to forgive those who will have wronged you. They do it out of fear of what they do not understand. _

_I know that one day you will be a great Ninja and that you will make the people of this village see your true power, your true worth. I prey that when that day comes that you will find it within your heart to forgive them for their trespasses against you and move on with your life. _

_My son I am sorry that your mother and I could not be there for you during your life. But I want you to know that every time you look upon your clan's home you are looking upon us. We shall always be with you in spirit and when the time comes for you to cross over into the next life we shall meet again. Until that time my son, live a great life, live a long life, and may you be the rebirth of our great clan._

_Signed Dad

* * *

_

Naruto slowly rolled up the letter and carefully tucked it away inside one of the desk's many drawers for safekeeping. Deciding that they had spent enough time exploring for now Naruto headed over to the far wall where a giant picture of the Uzumaki swirl was intricately inlaid within the wall. According to the instructions from his father this was the entrance to the clan vault. Placing his hand in the centre of the swirl Naruto pushed a small amount of chakra into the wall. Instantly the spiral lit up in a bright crimson red and once again he felt the familiar feeling of his body burning up from the inside as the blood seals checked his heritage. A moment later the feeling was gone and the wall before him split open in the middle with the two pieces sliding away from each other into the wall on either side.

Behind him he heard both his friends suck in a breath at the sight. Naruto knew that it was extremely rare for a clan to show non-members their clan vault. In fact it was almost unheard of and he was sure that was why they were so surprised. "You two are my friends and this is all mine now. I trust you with my life and I hope you feel the same way. If I can trust you with that then I can trust you with this. Your welcome to join Me." explained Naruto as he stepped forward into the massive vault.

The vault itself was almost the size of the study. In front of him was a small open area, which took up about twenty percent of the vault and was filled with what looked like trunks, various family heirlooms, jewelry, and the like. To his right was a large trunk that matched the description of the trunk that his parents had left the details of their secret project. Behind the open area were four rows of shelves. Each shelf was filled with scrolls and old books which he had no doubt dealt with clan specific jutsus and skills but for the time being he was more interested in what his parents had been working on before they died.

Approaching the large trunk Naruto found an envelope placed on top of the lid with his name on it. Picking up the envelope and pocketing it Naruto bent down to pick up the truck and grunted when he tried to stand up. "Fuck me… What the hell did they put in this damn thing?" grunted Naruto as he let go of the trunk and turned to his friends. "You guys mind giving me a hand getting this out into the study. Apparently my parents wanted me to take a look at it but the damn thing is heavy as hell." Complained Naruto.

His friends nodded their assent and moved forward. Together the three of them tried to lift the trunk once again with similar results. They looked at each other in confusion before trying once more but with the exact same results. "Well that's interesting. There's no way that thing is heavy enough that the three of us can't even move it an inch. Oh well I'll just open it in here I guess." Said Naruto and with that he reached down and tried to pry open the lid only to find it wouldn't budge either.

"Oh for crying out loud you stupid piece of shit, open." Said Naruto. Standing up with a heavy sigh Naruto pulled out the letter from his pocket. "Well at least I was able to pick up the letter. Let's see if this thing explains it why we can't move or open this piece of crap." Said Naruto with a huff. Opening the envelope quickly Naruto extracted the letter and then placed the envelope back on the trunk. Unfolding the sheet of paper Naruto began to scan the letter, which was obviously written in a woman's hand, most likely his mothers.

* * *

_Dear Naruto_

_As I sit here writing this letter I find myself imagining what you will be like when you finally read this letter around your sixteenth birthday. By this time I imagine that you have already read the letter your father and I left you for in the event that we should pass away before you turn sixteen so I will do my best not to smoother you with statements of love._

_It is so difficult to write to you like this when you've not even been born yet. The doctors tell me the delivery will be difficult and that there is a good chance I won't live. Even now as I write this I can feel you kicking up a storm inside me. Your father says you'll grow up to be a great ninja and while we both agree you are to choose your own path we also know that the life of a shinobi is in your blood. If that is the life you have chosen then I wish to ask you to continue our work, continue our dream._

_Within the trunk this letter was placed atop of you will find the combined fruits of nearly two years of work. Your father and I were working on putting together our own hidden village to work in tandem with Konoha. We have kept the details of this project secret from everyone but each other and now you. Its location can be found within the trunk, as can all the details on what will make this village or rather outpost great. It was to be our legacy and I hope that you will see it to fulfillment for us._

_Well I suppose I should explain the protections on the trunk. They were performed by your father. They contain some of the best seals he has ever created. First it's important that you are the only one to open the trunk. Once it's open you can let others you trust see the materials but if anyone other then you attempts to open it the results will be most unfortunate._

_Like the vault door this trunk has a blood seal inlaid on the outside it. This seal however was custom made by your father and will only react in a positive way to the two of us or one of our direct descendants. In other words it will open for you as well. The blood seal is interlinked with the other seals on the trunk as well so that when you activate the blood seal it will activate or in some cases deactivate the other seals allowing you full access and control over the trunk and its contents. Use it wisely Naruto._

_Oh how I wish I could be there with you now to hold you and work along side you. Even as I sit here, I can imagine the man you will become. The power you will posses and the peace you will bring to our land as your father has. Know that I will always watch over you Naruto and that I believe in you. You can do anything you put your mind to._

_Love_

_Mom

* * *

_

Naruto laughed and handed the letter over to Hinata. "Well that answers a lot of questions. No wonder we couldn't move the damn thing. Lets see if I can get this working now." commented Naruto as he placed his hand on the top of the trunk and pumped a little chakra into it. Once again like the past two times Naruto felt the burning sensation return for a moment before fading away. When it faded the sounds of locks releasing from within the trunk could be heard.

Taking his hand away Naruto watched as the lid literally sprung open revealing a case filled with blueprints, journals, photos, and scrolls. There seemed to be no end to the material. The entire trunk was filled to the brim. Looking over to Hinata who had tears in her eyes after reading the lid he gave her a questioning look. "It was just so sweet. Your mom must have really loved you." said Hinata before hugging Naruto tightly causing him to blush brightly in front of Shino.

"Hinata is correct. It is an emotionally charged letter." Commented Shino in his usual emotionless voice. Naruto nodded absently before looking back to the trunk. "Well you guys want to give me a hand getting this out into the study so we can go through some of it?" asked Naruto before bending down and grabbing a corner. A moment later Hinata and Shino grabbed to other side and together the three of them lifted trunk into the study being careful not to spill anything. As they exited the vault the door slid closed behind them and the blood seal flared back to life locking the door once more.

"Ok let's set up over on that conference table over there and spread out some of this stuff and see what it's all about. I'm interested in seeing what my parents were working on. It must have been something amazing for it to have taken them two year and still not have been finished, and to think that they kept it from everybody else. It's amazing that they were able to ensure not a single person knew about it other then them. And now the three of us know. The new generation takes over and we get to add our own flair to whatever they were doing. It's exciting." Said Naruto with a huge smile on his face and his eyes filled with passion.

Setting the trunk down beside the table the three of them sat down in the chairs and sighed at how comfortable they were. Naruto was beginning to think he could really get used to this. The place was amazing and he was starting to wonder when he should move in. Shaking his head Naruto focused his thoughts back on the task at hand. Reaching into the trunk Naruto removed the large pile of blueprints sitting on top along with what looked like a huge map of Fire country and the borders of the surrounding countries.

Next he removed a leather bound book from the side of the trunk, which had the words **'The Outpost: Book 1'** etched neatly into the front cover and down the spine. Placing it on the desk Naruto closed the lid to the trunk and saw it flare up folded by the sound of the locks sliding into place. Shrugging Naruto looked over at the other two. It looked like whatever this was his parents were really picky about the security of it all.

When he looked up from the trunk he found Hinata examining the large map while Shino looked through the dozens of pages of blueprints. Deciding that he might as well do his own thing Naruto picked up the leather bound book and quickly flipped through it before going back to the first page. "So it looks like this book was a notebook of sorts written by my parents. They must have been really serious about this because they even went so far as to organize the whole thing with a table of contents and the whole nine yards. It's not like they just wrote random notes all over the place. Each topic has its own section. This book starts off with a chapter talking about the purpose of the outpost and its benefits/features followed by chapters on the location, setup, and technical notes on the seals that they used or were planning on using. They cover pretty much everything in here. And based on what I saw in the trunk they had at least two other books. They must have done a ridiculous amount of research." commented Naruto.

Shino nodded his agreement as he continued to read over the blueprints. "Yes it appears they have put a great deal of thought and effort into this venture. I wonder if the facility had be constructed yet or if they had only gotten to the planning stage so far. These plans are extremely detailed and well thought out. The bottom of the facility sits nearly five hundred feet off the ground and is supported by dozens of large trees with some of the tallest towers in the facility reaching nearly a thousand feet into the sky from ground level. The monetary contributions to such a project would have been astronomical. How truly intriguing, should you decide to continue your parents work on this project I would like to offer my assistance Naruto." Stated Shino.

Naruto blinked in surprise. That was perhaps the most he had ever heard Shino speak in his life. in fact he thought Shino might have spoken more in that one instance then all the other times in Naruto had ever heard him talk combined. Before he could speak up in response Hinata cut him off. "I'd like to work with you on this as well Naruto. It looks like it will be loads of fun and just think of how amazing it will be to actually see such a place. But you know I think they may have at the very least started building it. The letter said they had been working on this for nearly two years. That's a lot of time to be working on something and getting nothing other then planning done."

"This map shows the entirety of fire country along with the surrounding areas to some extent. You can see right here that the facility is supposed to be located to the Northwest of Konoha about three quarters of the way to the border. It's actually strategically placed if you think about it. From this position Konoha would have a forward position should Grass, Rock, Cloud, or Sound attempt anything against the Leaf. We would see them coming from miles and miles away if what you said about the towers is right. And if nobody knows it's there then we'd have the chance to ambush them before they could reach Konoha which could be the difference between a failed invasion and a successful invasion." Stated Hinata

Naruto smiled at both of them and nodded. "Yeah it's a great idea and you're both welcome to help. Money won't be a problem if we really have to build this thing or even part of it. My parents left me an absolutely ridiculous amount of money so I'm not going to be too worried about spending a chunk of it. Not to mention that there were entire cases of jewels and other valuables in the vault that I could sell if we needed to. Well let's take a look at the summary here. They wrote a one page summary which was likely for my benefit that explains the concept behind the outpost." Said Naruto before lifting the book and beginning to read out loud.

* * *

_**The Uzumaki Recon Outpost Formal Mission Statement and Briefing**_

_This one page mission statement and briefing outlines the main purpose, goals, and benefits of the Uzumaki Recon Outpost which is located approximately five hundred miles northwest of Konoha and roughly fifty miles from the border of fire country border. The outpost is situated roughly equal distances from Lightening and earth countries and as such is able to act as a forward base to head off any military action against fire country or Konoha from either of these countries._

_Likewise it is similarly situated to defend against the hidden villages of Grass, Rain and Waterfall should any of these prove hostile. The unique nature of this outpost gives it unrivaled security and is easily defendable. All entrances and paths to the outpost are blocked by the most powerful seals available to the Uzumaki clan. _

_The ground level service elevator shafts are secured by advanced Blood seals, which will only allow access providing an Uzumaki clan member, is present to open the access point. Once inside the elevator must be activated from within the facility unless one of the founders or one of their direct descendants is present to activate it from within the elevator. Any attempt to circumvent these seals will result in multilayered defensive and offensive seals activating littering the area with a series of jutsus._

_The entire complex is blanketed with quadruple layered genjutsu seals, which, drastically reduces the chances of the enemy finding the outpost, and completely prevents it being found before the base is notified. The only people these genjutsu do not affect regardless of the situation are the founders and their direct descendants. The first layer of the seal is a very powerful genjutsu that blankets the area for nearly three miles in every direction from the edges of the facility. This genjutsu prevents anyone but the most skilled genjutsu specialists from noticing it and forces any individual who has not been to the outpost before to bypass the facility completely leaving the three-mile buffer. Without dispelling the genjutsu first the only way to overcome this first layer is to be led to the facility by somebody who has already been inside. Physical contact must be maintained at all times during this phase or the person affected by the genjutsu will be forced to turn away from the facility without realizing it. _

_The second and third layers of the genjutsu place an extremely powerful and complex illusion field over the facility, which hides it from all outside view. The field encircles the entire facility at a range of fifty feet. The forth and final layer of the genjutsu is an extremely light genjutsu which is specially designed to hide underneath the other more powerful genjutsu. This layer fools the mind of any who wish to cause harm to the facility or the people within to miscalculate the locations of the myriad of defensive and offensive seals which blanket the surrounding area. As a result even those who manage to get through the first three layers are likely the miss the fourth and as such walk into seals they are unaware of. This final layer is in effect for a radius of half a mile around the facility, which effectively limits it to the areas where the seals are located._

_It is worth mentioning that each of the genjutsu layers run off of hundreds of seals that make up an intricate web of seals to maintain the genjutsu. The web is designed in such a way that several seals must be deactivated or destroyed in the same area to remove that area from its effects. To make this even more difficult the seals have been designed to be self replicating and should a seal be deactivated without deactivating the master seal which is housed in the central chamber within the outpost the seal shall destroy itself forcing it to be replicated again. The seals take roughly thirty seconds to replicate providing there is an adjacent seal within the web at that time._

_This multilayered approach combined with the web like setup of the seals ensures that a massive attack on the seals would be needed in order to disable the field during which time the enemy would be besieged by various other seals. The defensive and offensive seals are multi-charge seals. Each seal can activate itself three times in rapid succession before deactivating. Once the seal is deactivated it takes approximately one minute to recharge. To deal with this delay the defensive and offensive seals are stacked with five levels of seals placed one over top of another. This setup allows the seals to rotate their activation periods. As each seal expends its payload another seal will activate within ten seconds._

_As a result of this stacked seal system the outpost can in fact have an ongoing stream of defensive and offensive fire flowing at all times with no more then a ten second break between volleys. This setup does however have a draw back. Should a single seal be destroyed its four brothers shall be destroyed with it as they are all linked together. Each of the five seals requires thirty seconds to replicate and like the genjutsu seals there must be an adjacent seal nearby within the web for this to happen. This means that recovering all five seals takes two and a half minutes during which time none of these five seals can activate. Defensive and offensive seals are made up of the following types. Fire based seals such as fireballs, fire dragons, and explosive seals. Water based seals such as water cannons, water dragons, and ice needles seals. Air based seals such as Poison clouds, and wind bullets, and lightening strike seals. And finally Earth Based seals such as gravity wells, mudslides and earthquake seals._

_This outpost's primary purpose is to act as a training outpost for developing elite forces and special units. The units within this base would undertake their own missions separate from Konoha, and would for all intents and purpose act as its own entity, which is permanently allied with Konoha and her allies. This outpost has the benefit of being a fall back point or a staging point for liberation efforts should Konoha ever be overwhelmed.

* * *

_

Naruto, Shino, and Hinata stared at each other in open awe of the level of security and power this facility had. Naruto for his part was thinking about how effective this facility would be against Orochimaru. The facility was practically positioned right in front of the village of sound, less then a hundred miles away. They could potentially ambush their forces in the future invasion attempts and decimate his forces. He once again cursed himself for his lousy luck in the previous timeline. This facility had been there the entire time before and nobody had known about it. If they had it might have changed the entire course of the war. It could have very well proved to be an adequate defense against the sounds forces while Konoha rebuilt.

"Ok that's just wow. You'd need a freaking army just to get near the place and that's not even talking about get INTO the place. And just think you could have your own army sitting up there waiting for them. Let them wear themselves down on the defenses and then when they look like their going to break through you jump down on them and kick their asses. They'd be tired from battling the defenses for who knows how long and our people would be fresh. That's just amazing." Cheered Naruto.

"Your parents were amazing Naruto. They must have been incredibly talented to do all of this and keep it a secret from everyone. It's incredible." Breathed Hinata. Shino nodded. "Yes indeed. I believe I will enjoy working on this project with you Naruto." Commented Shino evenly. Naruto smiled at both of them before opening the trunk once more and placing the map and book back inside. Picking up a stack of bundled papers with numbers on them he handed them over to Hinata while he continued to root through the trunk. He was distracted from his search by a quick intake of breath from both Hinata and Shino.

Looking over at the two of them it was obvious that they were both surprised by what they saw. "Well what is it. What do those papers say that has you guys so bent out of shape?" questioned Naruto. Hinata locked eyes with him and then wordlessly handed him the stack of papers. Looking at the first sheet his eyes widened in surprise. He had known it would cost a lot to create the facility but he hadn't for the life of him thought it would be this much. Flipping quickly through the first several sheets Naruto noticed that from the third sheet on was statements/receipts for items ordered.

The orders ranged from building supplies, to books, to training equipment and everything in-between. It seemed that the purchases were from all over the place too. Looking at the locations of the orders Naruto quickly began listing off the primary order locations. They had ordered from the countries of wind, earth, fire, water, and lightening. They had placed orders in all five of the great countries and by the looks of it they had hired ninja from all five countries to have the supplies escorted to various drop points within either wind or fire but no two drop locations were the same. It was unreal the extents they went to in order to maintain their secrecy.

The first two pages however were different. The first was a spreadsheet of sorts that showed what the estimated cost to complete the project was. There at the bottom of the front page written in big bold numbers was the cost of the project. **'12,947,000 Ryo'**. On the second page was a balance sheet, which showed the current amount, spent to date, the current amount left for completion, and the estimated remaining costs. Looking down at the balance sheet he was surprised to see just how much his parents had spent already. They had spent nearly seven million Ryo. And while that was a lot of money it was no where near the nearly thirteen million Ryo that the project called for which meant there was likely still a lot to be done.

Shaking his head Naruto decided that it was time to call it a day for their side project. They still needed to do some training and the chuunin exams were in a week. They would have plenty of time to work on this after they had avoided the invasion. After that they would see what could be done with his parents work. It was certainly promising. Putting the remaining documents and blueprints back into the trunk Naruto with the help of Shino carried the trunk back to the vault where they had found it.

Coming back to the table Naruto picked up the bag with his purchases from the equipment store and beckoned for the others to follow him. Forty minutes later the trio found themselves in a large wide-open field at the back of the estate grounds. They had spent the first thirty minutes quickly exploring the grounds which were riddled with various out buildings ranging from a dojo, to a bath house, to various store houses and guest quarters. The guest quarters were grouped together in a smaller two story complex in the back right corner of the estate. It was roughly a sixth of the size of the main complex and looked like it could support upwards of two guests at a time.

The field they currently found themselves in was surrounded on all sides by forested area or buildings completely blocking their view from any nosey people. Naruto sat down against one of the trees at the edge of the field and pulled out the three boxes. Calling over his friends Naruto waited for them to seat themselves before explaining his plans.

"Ok so here's the plan. The chuunin exams are in about a week now and we need to get ready for them, which means we need tons of training. I have a special training method that I use to train which increases the training you can do exponentially. I've never shared this with anybody but since you're both my friends and team mates I'm willing to share this secret with you. We have one week to train but if we used this training method it would be like we trained for close to ten years. This is going to leave you ridiculously tired by the time your done each day both mentally and physically so you have to make sure you get a lot of sleep in the evenings. This place isn't really fit to sleep in yet since I don't have any sheets or anything so we can just meet up here every morning and go from there. If you're interested in using it then I'll tell you how it works and make sure you can use it but once you commit you're stuck. It's going to take most of the day to get you two setup to make it work so if your not going to be serious I won't waste my time." said Naruto as he stared at them intently waiting for their answers.

Hinata of course was the first to answer with a confident "yes" followed moments later by a more reserved "certainly" from Shino. Smiling at the pair Naruto proceeded to tell them about the benefits of using Kage Bushin during training. "Alright I know your both familiar with my favorite jutsu, the Kage Bushin. I use it practically all the time. Now most people think that the only difference between a regular bushin and a Kage bushin is that one is solid and the other isn't. That couldn't be farther from the truth. There is one very rarely known fact about the Kage bushin that makes it an incredible technique for training if it can be used properly." Explained Naruto

"You see the Kage Bushin when released returns all of its knowledge and information it obtained to the person who summoned them. So the reason this is beneficial for training is that if you summon say a hundred Kage bushin and have all one hundred of them trying to learn a new jutsu, releasing them every half hour or so before calling them back and starting the process over again you are actually training one hundred times faster then you normally would. This training method actually helps with physical training as well as far as gaining muscle or speed but the results are less pronounced in this case. If you had one hundred Kage bushin doing weight training it would be like you had really been training for twenty five to thirty times as long as you did. The information the clones muscles received would be transmitted back to you when they dispersed and your brain would be tricked into thinking it had been your muscles which had completed the work out. As a result your body would compensate, creating various chemicals within your body would have normally created had you been working out. The body would actually attack the muscles forcefully breaking them down and rebuilding them to simulate what happens when you work out. This would of course increase the muscle mass as if you had done the work out yourself. The end result is that regardless of what you're doing it's like the amount of time you spent training increased exponentially."

"In my case I can maintain one or two thousand clones at a time and can hold them all day. The problem with you guys is that you don't have the chakra capacity in order to use this method, which is why I bought these." Naruto said as he held up the wraps that he had picked up from the equipment store. "These wraps allow you to store chakra in them. Before we get started training today I am going to fill these with my chakra since I have tons more then you guys. Then I'm going to teach you the Kage bushin technique and you're going to train for four hours. This is extremely important. If you feel that you're running low on chakra then stop. This technique can and will kill you if you run out of chakra. I can give you more if you want to continue but for tonight I think it should last long enough. If we do this for at least 8 hours a day each day for the next week we will be leaps and bounds better prepared then we are now. Tomorrow I'm going to go back to the equipment shop that I got these from and see about getting us some weights. That way we can work on speed and weight training at the same time. The way I figure it is if we can train for a week with them and get back to the speed we're currently at then at least we got started, they aren't slowing us down, and if we have to get a little extra speed we can take them off to speed us up." stated Naruto

And with that the trio set to work learning the Kage bushin technique. The rest of the week went much the same way. As promised Naruto did return to the equipment shop the next day and he did get weight sets for each of them. The weights he got however were far better then the normal weights people like Lee used. Where as Lee used actual weights Naruto had been able to secure three full sets of gravity seal weights. They had cost nearly as much as the wraps had but Naruto knew it was worth it.

Each set was made up five exercise bands which were embroidered with gravity seals. The bands were meant to be worn on both wrists, both ankles and the waist. Once you had them on you simply pushed a little chakra into the seals and they activated creating a gravity field around the body of the wearer which increased the level of gravity the body was experiencing. The seal was extremely complex and had over a hundred preset gravity levels. As soon as the body was able to work under the current level of gravity without problems the seal would automatically increase to the next level. Likewise the wearer could override the seal, setting it to one of the preset levels or turning it off completely at will. When they had met that first day Naruto had bought them each of them had put on a setup and activated them before starting their training with the understanding that they would not take them off again unless absolutely necessary.

Starting that day they began meeting for breakfast at the estate where Hinata would cook them something instead of just eating ramen, then the trio would head out back and Naruto would charge the wraps for each of them. Since it was just the three of them they split the third set of wraps to increase the capacity they had for training. Once out back they would each summon four to five hundred clones, train for four or five hours until the wraps ran out of chakra. Then they would head back into the house and eat a late lunch followed by another round of training before finally grabbing dinner together. After dinner they would relax for a few hours and ultimately call it a night.

During that first day and a half of training both Hinata and Shino focused on the chakra transfer technique utilizing chakra strings so that they would both be able to leach off of Naruto or each other during the exams if needed. This technique also allowed them to leach off of their opponents if they could get close enough to them to complete the jutsu without them noticing that they had. After that first full day Naruto had begun his own training as well instead of just focusing on them. That second day also saw a drastic change in their training routine. Where as the first day and a half they focused on one skill and ran with it, the second day one had them focusing on several things at once.

Naruto forced them to split up their clones so that they were working on at least four jutsu or skills at a time effectively using an average of 100 – 125 clones per task. At least one of these groups was set to work on Taijutsu at all times. By 7pm on the last night of training the results had Shino and Hinata staggering in surprise. Hinata had perfected three water jutsu, one wind jutsu, and one fire jutsu. In Naruto's opinion however the most important benefit for Hinata was that she was now well underway with the creation of her Shugohakke Rokujuyon Sho technique, which she had been famous for in his previous timeline. it had taken him explaining the technique over and over again to a hundred Hinata clones for nearly an hour to get the process started but once that had been done she had taken off with the technique. Finally she had been able to improve her gentle first skills drastically to the point that Naruto was almost certain she could beat Neji if they faced each other in the exam this time.

Shino for his part had improved a great number of his techniques while also focusing on a new attack that allowed him to drastically increase his colony size during a battle for a short time essentially allowing him to defeat an opponent by overwhelming him with sheer numbers.

Naruto himself had trained the last five days with overwhelming numbers reaching nearly three thousand clones training at once while he tried to perfect his fathers prize technique Hiraishin no jutsu. He had of course trained away from the rest of them leaving a mere five hundred behind to work on random jutsus to make it look like he was still there. He had sent the rest of his clones off to the other end of the property where they practiced his father's technique. By the final day of training Naruto thought he was finally starting to make good progress on it. He figured that during his month long training period after the first and second rounds of the exams that he would be able to finish it off if he worked hard enough.

All three of them had seen dramatic increases in their speed and strength even thought they had not gotten around to testing those increases. The fact that they were now working under a gravity field of nearly three times normal was impressive. It was the equivalent of them carrying three times their normal weight around at all times and to anybody watching them while the seals were active they would not appear to have improved at all. Naruto was really looking forward to the prelims and the finals. It would be interesting to see how this changed things.

* * *

The next morning at 8am the trio met once more at the estates to eat breakfast as had become their ritual during the past week. The three of them had become much closer during that time and Naruto had found himself learning things about Shino that he never had before. The boy was far different then Naruto had considered him in the past timeline and he had come to respect him. They were each hoping that when they made it to the exam room that they would be on the same team as they had become accustomed to working together during the past week.

After breakfast had finished Naruto washed the dishes while Hinata cleaned the table up and Shino emptied the garbage from the week leaving the bag at the side of the road where he knew the cleaners, who ever they were, would deal with it. Back instead Naruto smiled at the two of them and called a huddle. "Well today's the day. Give me your wraps so I can charge them up just in case. You should use these as a last resort. The chakra transfer technique is a better idea since there might be a time when you can't get to me to activate the technique and you might need what's in the wraps. Now let's go kick some genin ass." Laughed Naruto. Both he and Hinata knew that they wouldn't need the wraps or the chakra transfer technique for several days yet but he had to keep up appearances and so they played their parts.

As they walked towards the academy where they would be taking the exam they met up with the rest of their teammates. "Hey where were you guys this past week. We've looked everywhere for you. We've been training like crazy and were planning on inviting you along but every time we stopped by your places you guys were already gone for the day. What gives?" demanded Kiba.

It seemed the other two agreed as they nodded their heads and stared expectedly waiting for an answer. Naruto, Shino, and Hinata exchanged looks before smiling. "Training." they all said at once and continued on their way leaving three very confused and somewhat annoyed teammates in their wake. The first thing they noticed when they got to the academy was the two kids standing in front of the door that most people thought said room 301. The crowd around it was growing as the two kids prevented anyone else from entering.

Naruto shook his head at their antics. The fact was if those two idiots hadn't been their riling everybody up most of the people would have figured it out pretty quickly that they were actually only on the second floor and that they still needed to go up a floor. Naruto went to lead his teammates past the commotion and towards the third floor when a very familiar Hyuuga stepped in front of Hinata and Naruto found himself cringing slightly.

He had hated Neji during this period. The kid had a mouth on him like something else and he was beyond arrogant not to mention all that fate bullshit he had a habit of spewing. He most certainly did not like Neji right now. Before he could step between the two of them Neji stared up. "I don't know why you even bothered showing up Hinata; you'll never pass this exam. You'll be lucky to make it past the second round. Face it your just not cut out to be a shinobi. You should just go home and focus on being the heir to our clan like a good little girl." mocked Neji

Once again Naruto was about to step in and tell Neji where he could stick his good little girl routine when to his surprise Hinata beat him to the punch. "I have just as much right to be here as you do Neji. I'm sorry your father was killed all those years ago but it wasn't my fault. I didn't do it to him and I didn't ask for it. If you're going to keep being an arrogant snob then just get out of my way. Just don't hold back on me if we meet in the arena because if you do, you'll loose." And with that she shoved past him and continued on her way grabbing Naruto's hand and dragging him along with her.

A few moments later as they approached the stairs Naruto stopped and spun Hinata around causing their teammates to stop as well. "Who are you and what have you done with Hinata?" Naruto demanded in a teasing tone. Hinata stuck her tongue out at him which caused him to burst out laughing and continue on his way. "I think I'm having a bad influence on you Hinata. Your starting to act like me now." laughed Naruto as the rounded the corner at the top of the stairs and headed down the hall where they could see their sensei's waiting.

Hinata looked at him straight in the eyes as they continued on their way and then in a soft voice that only he could hear said "what's wrong with that. You're everything I wish I could be and one day will be." Naruto smiled in response to her statement and just nodded his agreement as they continued towards their destination. Finally the group of six came to a stop in front of their senseis and handed over their consent forms. They looked them over one at a time before looking back at the group.

Kurenai and Kakashi exchanged a look and then nodded before addressing them. "Ok guys things are going to work a little differently for you during this exam. You see the exam calls for teams of three and obviously since our case was a unique situation with us forming a team of six they've never had to deal with this before. So to make things easier we're going to split you into two teams for the course of this exam." Said Kakashi.

Kurenai looked at Kakashi before turning to address the group herself. "We had put together the order of the two teams already earlier in the week but last night we realized when we came to talk to several of you at your homes that you had actually already separated yourselves into two teams to train even if you didn't do it intentionally. As a result we're going to keep things like that for the course of the exam. So for the duration of the exam the teams are as follows. Team 7 will be made up of Sakura, Sasuke, and Kiba while Team 8 will be comprised of Hinata, Shino, and Naruto. So I guess that's it. Get in there and do your best. We'll see you all later." Said Kurenai and with that they disappeared in two clouds of smoke.

The group looked at each other and shrugged before walking in. Just inside the room they found themselves watching a fight between a silver haired leaf genin and two sound ninja. Naruto seethed at seeing the silver haired traitor walking around again. He clearly remembered his part in Hinata's death in the previous timeline and couldn't help but think about how good it would feel to shove a Rasengan in his stomach again like he had before.

It wasn't long before Hinata noticed his thoughts and led him away from the front of the room towards the back. They both knew they would be assigned seats so there was no point sitting down yet. After she dragged him to the back of the room she looked at him closely and whispered "Just ignore him for now Naruto. You can't do anything to him now without giving yourself away. But if you wait until the forest then you can do as you please and nobody will be the wiser."

Naruto looked down at her carefully before nodding his head in agreement. "I guess your right. I mean of course your right; you're always right when it comes to this kind of stuff. You… you don't think less of me because of this do you? If I finish him in the forest will you hate me because I did it in cold blood instead of self defense?" asked Naruto quietly with a look of uncertainty on his face.

Hinata smiled reassuringly at him before taking his hand and squeezing it while nobody was looking. "I know what he took from you Naruto. I know the pain and suffering he caused you. I may not have lived it but you've told me about it and that's enough. I may not like the idea that you have to kill somebody at this age but we are ninja that sometimes that's in our job description. Besides you've done so several times already since you've come back and you were in a war before. He deserves what he gets and nothing you can do will change the way I feel or think about you." stated Hinata with confidence.

At that moment the door burst open and in walked Neji, Tenten, and Lee. It was only moments later when the instructor and judges entered as well. "Alright people you're assigned seats are now posted on the wall. Look them up and get seated. You have three minutes to do so or you fail." Barked the examiner before turning around and setting himself up at the desk.

The room burst into a frenzy of movement as everybody tried to get to the front of the room. That is except for team 8 or stood at the back of the room while Hinata checked the list with her Byakugan. Quickly she pointed out their seats and then began to walk away. Before they could leave thought Naruto grabbed them both and whispered. "No matter what, don't give up on question ten." And with that he headed to his seat. Hinata smiled at him and nodded before leaving for her seat as well followed closely by a slightly confused and thoughtful Shino who was one row behind her.

A few minutes passed and several people were still standing. "79, 124, 37, 61. You're all gone. Take your team mates with you." barked the instructor as he stood at the front of the room and waited for the 12 individuals to leave. A few moments passed as they sulked out of the room before the examiner turned back to the rest of the room. "In a moment I will be handing out a test. You will have one hour to complete this test and one hour only. However there are some rules I must go over before we begin." said Ibiki.

"Rule number 1. Each team will start off with ten points. The test is made up of ten questions. Each question is worth a point. However this test works on a subtraction system. If you answer a question correct you keep the point but if you answer it wrong you loose the point."

"Rule number 2. This test is a team event. You will win or loose as a team based on your teams combined score out of thirty."

"Rule number 3. Any body caught cheating during the exam will loose two points. If during the exam you get caught five times you will be asked to leave and thereby causing your teammates to fail."

"Rule number 4. Those who loose all their points during the exam or those who don't answer any of their questions correctly will fail along with their teammates. You have one hour starting now. BEGIN." Explained Ibiki.

Naruto sighed at the absurdity of this test and looked down at the paper in front of him. He knew the purpose of the test and so he could technically leave it blank and pass but it would be more fun to answer them all since he had the time. Slowly he began to read over the questions one at a time and answer them as best he could. He didn't need to bother cheating to complete the test since he had more then enough experience and knowledge to answer them himself. So for the next forty minutes he screwed around answering the questions at his own pace and doodling on his sheet.

As the hour continued to pass more and more teams slowly found themselves being kicked out of the exam for cheating. When the forty minutes was up for the first part of the written exam the numbers had been cut to nearly half with only fifty one of the ninety three teams remaining. Naruto watched as Ibiki stood from his desk and looked around the room with a smirk on his face. "It looks like quite a few of you didn't take my advice to heart about cheating. To bad I suppose." Stated Ibiki with a laugh.

"Ok it's time for the tenth question. However before I give you this question you have a decision to make. The rules for this question are the same as all your previous questions with one big difference. If you take this question and get it wrong you fail and you will NEVER be able to take the chuunin exam again. So the question right now is who among you want to take the question." Asked Ibiki with an evil smirk on his face.

"I'll make this easy on all of you. If you choose not to take the question you fail but you can come back in six months and try the exam again. But as I said before, if you choose to take this question and get it wrong you will forever stay a genin." And with that he laughed again as instantly three teams stood up and walked towards the door. "If you don't want to take this question put up your hand and it'll all be over. You can go back home, take a nice hot shower, eat some lunch and lay down to watch some TV. None of you really want to be here do you?" mocked Ibiki.

For the next twenty minutes the conversation continued in on a similar vein with Ibiki mocking and goading the various genin teams and just generally trying to scare the shit out of them. Over and over again people would throw up their hands and walk out of the room. Over and over again Ibiki would smile that annoying bloody smile of his and mock the rest of the room until finally nobody else would bite. When it became obvious that everyone had made their choice Ibiki's face became serious and he said in a clear voice "Good decision everyone. To all of you still here, I congratulate you on passing the first test."

In that instant the room burst into shouts and arguments as people asked what the hell was going on and what had happened to the tenth question. Finally Ibiki sighed and told everybody to sit down. "I guess you're all too fucking stupid to figure it out so I'll have to spell it out for you. The tenth question was whether or not to take the question. As a ninja you can't choose what missions you accept. You get a mission and you do it. End of story. If you get a mission and there's a chance you could die on that mission you can't just say well I don't feel like taking that mission today. No, you have to do it, and that's all there is to it. Those people who left didn't understand that and so they failed." Shouted Ibiki.

And with that the room fell silent. For all of five seconds before the window shattered and Anko burst through the now broken window following her ridiculous looking black banner. "Welcome to the second round of your exam. Jesus Ibiki you're loosing your touch. Look how many of these little bastards there are. Well that's fine I guess because I'm going to cut that number down by at least half by the time I'm done." Laughed Anko before smirking at everyone's shocked faces.

"Alright everyone meet me over at training area 44 commonly know as 'The Forest of Death'. That's where we'll be handling the next phase of your exam." And with that she was gone. Naruto sighed as he stood up from his chair and looked around the room. There was just under thirty team's remaining which meant that they were more then likely going to have preliminaries again this time around. Not that he minded really since it kept things similar but it gave Hinata more of a chance to get stuck fighting Neji and he wasn't so sure he wanted her fighting him.

There were a couple reasons really. The first being he didn't want her getting hurt and while he was sure she could hold her own there was always the possibility he would do something sneaky or she could mess up and then she could get seriously hurt like last time, or worse. There was also the fact that if he and Neji didn't fight then he wouldn't be able to knock some sense into him to set him straight. That fight had been the start of their friendship or at least their mutual respect for each other.

Snapping out of his thoughts Naruto followed Hinata and Shino towards the door where and out of the building before the three of them began heading towards the Forest of Death. As they approached the training area Naruto spotted the grass Nin with the long tongue and once again found himself thinking about how nice it would be to just deal with his enemies now. Of course he didn't think he could really win against Orochimaru right now. He was sure he could defend himself and force the retreat but he wouldn't be able to defeat him. Now Kabuto on the other hand that was a different matter entirely. He was going to enjoy ending his life again. This time thought he would make the genin suffer for what he had done both in the present and in the future. He would know the pain he had caused others only in a very real way.

For a brief moment Naruto almost smirked evilly but managed to keep it off his face as he listened to Anko go on and on about the rules and goals for the second exam. In the mean time Naruto just ignored her until she called for them to fill out the consent sheets. Naruto walked forward quickly with the rest of his team. After jotting down his signature quickly Naruto turned around and handed his sheet to Shino who took it along with Hinata's and headed to pick up their scroll.

Naruto looked around and spotted the silver haired genin once more. Hinata followed his gaze and spotted him before frowning. She hoped that this would relieve some of his pain. It wasn't a side of Naruto that she particularly liked but she understood it and she understood his reasons for the brutality she was sure he would be involved in during this phase of the exam. It wouldn't change the way she felt about him but she didn't have to like it either. Sighing Hinata pulled her thoughts away from the silver haired genin's soon to be grizzly death and focused on the task at hand as she followed her two teammates towards one of the gates.

Naruto turned toward his two teammates when they arrived at their gate. "Shino make sure you keep track of Sasuke, Sakura, and Kiba. They may not be part of our team during the exam but their still out teammates and if they get into trouble I'd like to be able to help them as long as it doesn't guarantee us a loss." Said Naruto as he looked at each of them for a moment. "I think we should stick to the treetops for the most part while you two keep an eye out for other teams. When we come across one of the teams we can jump them and get this over and done with. Otherwise if we don't meet anyone along the way we just get to the tower quickly and then wait for a team to come along." Suggested Naruto.

His two teammates seemed to like that idea and they decided to go with it. Naruto however was having a very hard time focusing on this part of the task. The only thing he could truly focus on was his revenge. Hatred burned in his heart and he wanted nothing more then to finish the silver haired bastard once and for all.


	15. The game’s afoot

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Author Notes:

Ladies and gentleman I give you the long awaited 15th Chapter in the Second Chances saga. This chapter was a REAL pain to write. I actually got all but the last 5 – 7 pages finished quickly but the whole Orochimaru thing just sent me for a ride. I must have rewrote it about a million times. At any rate the next few chapters will be MUCH faster. I'm thinking one every week or two for the next couple chapters until we're done with the chuunin exams and the invasion.

This chapter like the previous two will have some major events taking place so make sure you watch carefully. The next couple of chapters deal with the chuunin exams and the events going on around them. There will be some fairly large changes in the exams as far as participants and battles and such. One other thing. I realize that in canon the teams for the second exam did not have any survival equipment with them but when I was writing this I overlooked that particular fact and was almost completed everything by the time I remember. So for the sake of this story we are just going to assume that each team had a basic pack with them. Enjoy

* * *

**Second Chances**

Chapter Fifteen: The game's afoot

By Cybergades

* * *

Sarutobi sat staring blankly out his office window as the sun slowly made its way through the midday sky. For not the first time that day he found himself lost in his thoughts with the start of what was sure to be a terrible headache. He noted silently to himself that he had been doing this more often as of late thanks to a certain blonde haired loud mouth whom he had come to care very deeply for.

Today however his musings were anything but ordinary. No today his mind rested solely on the horrific and quite unbelievable information he had received from his meeting with the blonde. The thought that the peacefulness which he saw now would be shattered in a little more then a months time was unnerving to say the least and while he was certainly glad to have the opportunity to prevent or at least lessen the damage of what was about to befall his village, he couldn't help but absently note that his life would have been a lot less stressful if he had been blind to these events. But then he supposed it came with the territory. He was the Hokage and that title brought with it great responsibilities.

Now that he knew what was coming he would do everything in his power to turn the tide of this battle in Konoha's favor. The question was how to do that. If Orochimaru was going to attack then he certainly wanted his two other former students in the village at the same time but how would he go about bringing them back without tipping his hand.

Further still, how would he convince them to return in the first place? Jiraiya would be the easier of the two to convince. In his case the promise of lots of sake and free reign to peep at the bathhouses would convince the old pervert to drag his butt back to the village. Tsunade on the other hand was a completely different matter. Her opinions of the village were clear to all who knew her. She hated Konoha and all that it stood for because it was this village that had taken her lover and younger brother from her. She had made it clear when she left that she had no intention of ever returning. Convincing her otherwise would require a great deal of haggling on his part but perhaps there was a way.

Shaking his head Sarutobi pulled out his pipe from the drawer of his desk and carefully lit it before puffing away lightly. Sitting quietly with his eyes closed for a moment he contemplated what his next move should be. The things to come could not be prevented or lessened by his efforts alone and yet he could not involve the majority of his ninja force. Naruto had been clear that there was at least one spy among them and that meant there could be more. The results would be disastrous if they lost the element of surprise not to mention opening the whole can of worms of where their information had come from.

No… he would need to find somebody whom he trusted completely to help him in his planning. Somebody who knew the value of following orders and who was loyal to Konoha without fail. The aging Hokage suddenly smiled as he puffed deeply on his pipe before starting to chuckle. Yes he knew just the man for the job. Shaking his head and smiling faintly to himself Sarutobi quickly set down his pipe before sending one of his assistants to call on the Hyuuga head.

* * *

A knock on the door to his private study distracted Hiashi from the stack of papers in front of him and he inwardly thanked all the gods he could think of for the momentary relief from that which he hated most. As he turned towards the door which slowly slid open he absently noted that no matter how much paperwork he got done, the stack on his desk never seemed to get any smaller. Shaking his head of these thoughts Hiashi directed his full attention to the Anbu member standing before him as the man began to speak.

"Hyuuga-Sama the Hokage requests your immediate presence in his office." the man stated before disappearing in a burst of smoke without waiting for an answer. Hiashi shook his head in mild disgust at the way these young Anbu acted these days. They never seemed to show respect where it was due. As he stood and began putting away a few things before preparing to leave he wondered absently what his old friend required of him. They had spoken not long ago and he hadn't mentioned anything then. He supposed he would find out soon enough but he really did hate surprises. With that thought ringing in his mind Hiashi left the manor and quickly made his way towards the Hokage tower for his meeting.

* * *

A knock on the door broke him from his musings once more as Sarutobi looked briefly over his shoulder to see Hiashi stepping into his office. He offered to younger gentleman a brief smile and a nod of acknowledgement before diverting his attention back to the window where he had found himself staring for the better part of the day. He could feel the man's eyes on his back as he continued to stare but for the moment he ignored that in favor of sorting out his thoughts. A few moments later, with his back still facing Hiashi, Sarutobi signed and began to speak.

"I am sorry to call on you with such short notice my friend but it can't be helped. Before I go any further I want to be clear that everything that we are about to discuss should be considered an S-Class secret and as such it should be shared with no one without my express permission. There are currently 3 people who know this information and you will be the forth. The nature of this information is such that should it get out, it could very well mean the end of this village as we know it. Do you understand?"

He smiled slightly as he saw Hiashi stand up straighter and adopt a slightly more serious expression. After receiving a positive response Sarutobi nodded to himself once and then finally turned away from the window to face his old friend. "Very well then let us begin. It has come to my attention that Orochimaru intends to launch a surprise attack on us during the finals of the current chuunin exams. For the time being I will skip over how I came upon this information and instead focus on the specifics of the attack." Began Sarutobi and so over the next hour he outlined Orochimaru's plans for the invasion and how he along with the Sand planned on invading Konoha and crushing it with their combined might.

When at last he had completed his briefing he sat back and stared passively at the man before him as he watched him process and assimilate all that had just been said. His face which had early on been ashen and worried at the news had transformed into a look of fierce determination with an underlying sense of rage the likes of which Hiashi rarely let anyone see. Sighing for what felt like the millionth time that day Sarutobi leaned forward and rested his arms on his desk.

"As I'm sure you can tell by now there is little chance of preventing this attack with such short notice and certainly no chance of doing so in such a way that would prevent them from simply moving the date of their plans and hitting us at a time which we truly had no warning. I don't need to tell you just how disastrous that would be. Suffice to say our only chance is to prepare for this invasion attempt in secret and lay a trap for them. Then when the invasion begins we will crush it quickly. If done properly we should be able to not only turn them away but cause sufficient losses to their numbers that another attempt would not be possible." explained Sarutobi.

"This of course brings me to the reason I called you here. This is not something that I can plan for alone. There are a great many things that will need to be done in order to be ready for these events and they must be done in such a way as to not tip our hand to the enemy. I am reliably informed that there is at least one spy within our ranks and there could be more. As such I must work with only those I can trust explicitly. You are one such person and I have need of your services immediately." Pausing for a moment to light his pipe once more Sarutobi stared directly into Hiashi's eyes before beginning again.

"If we are to meet this challenge then my other two students must return as well. The problem however is determining not only how to convince them to return but also how to bring them back in such a way that it doesn't look as if we're preparing for this invasion. Obviously if my two former students, both of whom have long standing problems with this village, were to suddenly return at the same time for no reason and right around the time of the invasion it would raise quite a few red flags for our enemies. I must admit I am at a loss as to how to deal with this and was hoping that a fresh perspective might help solve the problem." Commented Sarutobi.

Hiashi nodded seriously before leaning back in his chair and adopting an expression of deep thought. After several minutes he nodded to himself and directed his attention back to Sarutobi.

"Convincing them to return I believe will be the harder of the two issues to solve. Lord Jiraiya as I'm sure you're aware can be convinced in one of several ways, all of which have to do with appealing to his more, mature interests, if you will. Lady Tsunade however is a different matter entirely. From what I know of her problems with this village I do not believe it will be easy to sway her. However I do believe that there is at least one possibility in this case providing my instincts are correct."

"I believe that like myself, Tsunade has been under the impression that Minato's and Kushina's child died during the Kyuubi attack. As I'm sure you're aware she was quite close with Kushina and I do not believe she would have abandoned Naruto to the life he lived had she known he was here. If this is the case as I believe it to be, then revealing this information may provide us with the leverage we need to convince her to return to our aid. Of course throwing in a suitable sum of money to help offset some of the rather large gambling debts I'm told she has would also help our cause." Offered Hiashi.

Pausing for a moment to let this information sink in, Hiashi allowed himself a moment to organize his thoughts on the second part of his solution. Upon seeing the Hokage nod in understanding and agreement he leaned forward once more and began again.

"As I said convincing them to return will be the harder of the two problems. I believe I have the perfect solution for the second half of this problem. Not only does it give us a viable excuse for having the two remaining loyal Sannin's of the leaf back in Konoha but it will also allow us to replace something which has been lost to this village for quite some time, something that set us apart from all others. I am referring of course to the Sannin themselves. Konoha has long been famous for the legendary Sannin who we gave birth to but ever since Orochimaru's betrayal there has been a taint on that name not to mention that the Sannin are getting old. There will come a day in the future where all three are no more. What better way to solve this problem then to create a new group of Sannin, trained under the original two and yourself that will one day succeed their teachers." Proposed Hiashi.

Sarutobi's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates at the simplicity and brilliance of it all before smiling brightly at his old friend. He had been right to call him here it seemed and this idea just proved it. Puffing happily on his pipe Sarutobi thought briefly on what had been said so far before nodding and directing his attention to the conversation again.

"I think you're exactly right Hiashi and it just so happens that I have the perfect candidates for the job. I will have to think on this further but that certainly solves the problem. Of course convincing Jiraiya and Tsunade to undertake such a task is going to be even more interesting then getting them to return in the first place. Regardless I believe we have enough to move forward at this point. I will consider the 3 individuals further while you are gone and we will finalize things when you return. Let us now discuss your mission Hiashi as I'm sure you already know what it will entail."

"Since I obviously can't go and fetch them myself I will need you to collect both Jiraiya and Tsunade yourself. Do whatever you must to convince them. I give you free reign to promise them whatever you must to convince them to return and to tell them whatever you feel is needed. I urge you to ensure that you are not overheard however. Be extremely discrete. Regardless of what happens Hiashi I need you to be back here no later then a week before the finals begin. If you can't convince one or both of them to join you then cut your losses and return with what you can. We will need every man we have to survive this." ordered Sarutobi.

Sliding over a plain brown envelope Sarutobi quickly explained that the details of the mission and his targets whereabouts were contained inside along with a note for each of them which he had written himself. After talking for a few more minutes the pair said goodbye and parted ways with Hiashi returning to the manor to prepare for his departure and Sarutobi turning back to the window to face the forest where he knew Orochimaru resided at that very moment.

* * *

At that very moment as Hiashi rushed back to the Hyuuga manor to prepare for his mission and Sarutobi sat lost in his thoughts within the confines of his office, Team Naruto stood before the gates of the Forest of Death waiting for the second phase of the exam to begin. Any moment now the bell would ring and the gates surrounding the forest would burst open admitting the various remaining teams. Despite all that was going on, Naruto couldn't bring himself to care because at the moment the only thing on his mind were the dozens of ways he could go about killing the silver haired bastard who had caused him so much pain in his past life.

Despite the fact that he hadn't really done any of that as of yet, the knowledge that he would if given half the chance solidified Naruto's resolve to do whatever it took to put the bastard down for good. He had briefly considered just ringing the fucker's neck and forcing him to look into his eyes as he watched the light within them disappear but he had thrown that idea away pretty quick. It just wasn't painful enough. He wanted to hurt the bastard. He wanted him to know all the pain he had caused him in his past life and then some. He wanted to drag it out.

Needless to say Naruto was a little sickened at his thoughts and yet he couldn't bring himself to stop them. The fact was that it had been Kabuto who had taken Hinata from him in his past life before he had even had a chance to realize the true extent of her feelings for him and that had hurt more then anything else he had ever had to suffer through in his entire life. He couldn't possibly imagine living through something like that again. In the short time since he'd been back she had already become such a pivotal part of his life. He just couldn't go back to the way things used to be. That above all else was the reason that he couldn't stop thinking about making the bastard pay.

Hinata watched nervously as the love of her life continued to battle with his inner demons. She had almost been certain that he was going to kill Kabuto on the spot when they spotted him for the first time during the first exam and had been quite relieved when he had managed to keep himself in check. Those feelings had returned just minutes earlier when they had arrived for the second exam and spotted the silver haired genin for a second time. The look of absolute loathing that Naruto wore seemed so out of place on his otherwise happy face. She couldn't help but feel nervous and worried about the direction of his thoughts as his body language pretty much screamed what he was thinking. She could tell that he was still brooding over both events and she worried to herself about the moment when their two teams would meet.

She knew of course why he hated the silver haired teen as much as he did and she understood how he felt but despite all of that she wasn't sure how she would handle seeing him kill the boy in cold blood. She knew all his reasons and in the end she was sure that she would still love him regardless of what his choice in the matter ended up being but despite all of that there was still that part of her that knew that when she saw him kill Kabuto in cold blood that an image of Naruto that she had always had stored away in her mind would be changed forever. She supposed she would just have to live with it. It wouldn't change her feelings for him in the least of course. She didn't think there was anything that he could do that could change those feelings.

As Hinata and Naruto were both lost in their own thoughts Shino watched the pair closely. His allies had been informing him for quite sometime that Naruto was suffering from a great deal of stress and anger and that both seemed to be directed towards the silver haired boy they had met back in the first exam. He was unsure of what their relationship was as the boy seemed to be completely oblivious to the fact. It was however obvious that Hinata knew at least some of their background as she seemed to be worrying over the matter a great deal.

It was just one more thing for him to tuck away and confront the two about at a later time. He could tell that the pair was hiding something from him. from everybody in fact and while he was certainly not the person to be talking about full disclosure as he himself was a very private individual he had always believed that anything which affected the team should be known by the whole team. This matter, whatever it was, obviously affected the team as a whole and so he reaffirmed his intentions to confront them about it when the right moment presented itself. For the time being however he would simply take note of the latest in a long string of odd behavior's and continue on as if nothing had happened.

Deciding that they should take maximum advantage of the remaining few minutes they had before the gates opened Shino cleared his throat snapping the pair out of their thoughts and directing their attention to him.

"I believe that it would be prudent to utilize our combined skills to the best of our abilities in an effort to keep track of our potential targets as well as our allies and any teams which we believe could provide a particular challenge for us." commented Shino in his normal dry tone of voice. Naruto blinked at the boy several times before responding in his usual eloquent way. "Huh?" Shino arched an eyebrow in response and Hinata merely giggled softly.

"I believe what Shino-kun is saying Naruto-kun is that he could track the other teams with the help of his allies and that with my help he could target specifically the teams that have the scroll that we need as well as the teams of our allies and any teams that might be particularly tough for us to beat so that we know exactly where our targets are at all times and can avoid the more difficult obstacles. Am I right Shino-kun?" explained Hinata as she looked back and forth between her two teammates.

Shino nodded and Hinata smiled while Naruto commented on how smart she was causing her to blush brightly at the compliment. It was true that she had been slowly improving when it came to being around and talking with Naruto but she still wasn't quite used to his compliments and flirting. Just thinking about it caused her to blush.

So for the next few minutes, as they waited for the gates to open the trio worked together to track their targets. Ultimately in addition to tracking all of their targets and all of their allies they decided to track the Sand team and the grass team although Naruto didn't comment on his reasons for suggesting either of them. Once again Shino let it slide and tucked the information away for future use. The mystery that was Uzumaki Naruto was growing by leaps and bounds and he was quite excited to solve it, or at least as excited as he ever was about anything.

Just as they finished setting up the gates in front of them burst open and the trio rushed forward to begin their next exam. With their tracking in place they moved quickly towards the center of the forest where they intended to setup camp and then decide on their next move.

* * *

Haku entered the Hokage tower trailed silently by an Anbu member and looked around anxiously. It was only her second time inside the building and she had to admit to herself that this time was no less unnerving then the first. In fact the first time had been at least somewhat comfortable since she knew that Naruto had been at her side and had intended to stick up for her. Now however she was on her own and about to face the Hokage who was going to announce the council's decision regarding her request for citizenship. She could only hope that things turned out alright as Naruto swore they would but even with that in mind she couldn't help but feel uneasy.

As she stepped inside the Hokage's office a few minutes later she felt her anxiety shoot up another couple of notches. This was it. This would decide her fate from this date forward. She would either be accepted within Konoha or would have to continue on the run for the rest of her life. She didn't think she could go back to the loneliness she remembered from her childhood before Zabuza had taken her in.

In the next moment however that all slipped away as she caught sight of the old man whom Naruto spoke so fondly of. For plastered on his weathered face was a kind and gentle smile, the likes of which you might expect to see on a grandfather. The tension in her body seemed to melt away and she couldn't help but scold herself for being so foolish. Naruto had sworn everything would be alright and he hadn't led her wrong yet.

She was snapped from her musings a moment later by the voice of the man before her and so rather then making a bad impression she directed her full attention to what he was saying. "… No reason for you to be so uptight child. I have spoken with Naruto in detail about your encounters together in wave and have likewise discussed the matter of your citizenship with the village council. It has been decided that based on my recommendation you shall be given a chance to prove yourself worthy of this village." He was saying.

"You shall be given the rank of chuunin and assigned missions around town and within the border of fire country for the next few months. If at the end of this period you have proven to be an asset to this village and have followed the rules set out for you then you shall be given full citizenship for as long as you wish to stay." Explained the Hokage.

"Your first mission shall be to patrol the roads just outside of the village's north gate. There have been reports of bandits along the road who have been harassing merchants and travelers recently. You are to search the surrounding area for any signs of these individuals and should you find them you are to bring them to justice. The length of this mission will be 2 weeks. Should you complete your mission early, you are to continue patrolling the area until the end of the allotted time. I have high hopes for you Haku and I know that Naruto does as well. Don't let us down." explained Sarutobi.

Haku nodded happily in response before replying. "Hai Hokage-sama. I swear I shall not let you or Naruto-san down. I shall prove that your faith in me was not misplaced. Thank you for this opportunity." She said and just like that her life had changed for the better.

* * *

As Haku left the Hokage's office to prepare for her mission a cloaked figure approached the village at a slow and steady pace all the while contemplating the words of a certain blonde haired boy she had met some weeks back for the first time. She admitted to herself that she no longer wanted to live the life she currently held and the offer the boy had made gave her the first opportunity to change that life.

The question was, had the boy meant what he said or was it all just a trick to try and win her over. Then again he had purposely pulled his punches during their battle in the land of waves, surely that proved something. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and continued on her way. She didn't know why she bothered thinking about these things anymore. She had made the decision to give the boy a chance and she had spent the past week slowly making her way towards the village of Konoha. It didn't make sense to dwell on a decision she had already made. Nodding resolutely to herself Tatsuki looked out over the horizon from her place atop a hill where she could just make out the rocky outcropping that was Konoha's Hokage monument.

"I should be there by late tonight at this pace. Might as well rest for the night and arrive in the morning." She said to herself and with that she walked off into the forest that bordered the northern side of Konoha to begin setting up camp.

* * *

Several hours into the exam team Naruto sat within a large hollowed out section of a particularly large tree roughly half way between the location they entered the forest and the tower they needed to reach. They had been searching for the ideal camp site since they began while also heading in the general direction of their ultimate goal.

The tree they currently resided in had been a lucky find picked up on by Hinata with the use of her bloodline. The upper levels of the tree contained dense foliage which presented the perfect location for each of them to sit as a lookout with a greatly reduced chance of being seen. For most teams this location would have been useless as the heavy foliage would have prevented them from seeing the surrounding area. However in their case each member of the team had a way around this. Hinata had her bloodline, Shino had his bugs, and Naruto had his clones. It was the best of both worlds.

The location was only made better by the discovery of a hollowed out section of the tree which looked to have been the home to one of the larger animals in the forest some time ago. The hollow had since been abandoned by whatever had once called it home and so it provided the ultimate cover for those who slept. The final deciding factor however was the relatively short distance between the tree and one of the 3 large rivers which cross sectioned the forest, all of which headed towards the tower. It provided not only a great source of food and water but also almost guaranteed that they would see at least one other team in their relative location. Shino had confirmed this by stating that several of their targets were camped out farther down stream which indicated they would likely head this way in the days to come.

So they had all agreed and begun to setup camp. Now they found themselves sitting together in their temporary base of operations discussing their plans for the next day or two.

"It's been a few hours since the exam began do we know if any of our potential targets have already lost their scroll? Just because we decided to setup camp before making our move doesn't mean that everybody else did the same thing." said Naruto as he looked between Shino and Hinata.

Shino nodded his head briefly before responding. "Three of our targets have already lost their scrolls although each of them seems to be continuing with the exam. I believe our ideal target would be the mist team which resides approximately half a mile up stream from us. They have remained stationary for over an hour and my allies report that they have setup camp in that area. From what I can tell they are intending to ambush other teams in an effort to obtain the other scroll." He explained. Naruto marveled once again at how wicked Shino's bugs were. He had bugs for everything. It was just so damn cool that it almost made up for the weirdness factor of having bugs living inside his body.

"I agree with Shino-kun. The mist team is our best option for completing this exam quickly. I doubt they expect anybody to come across them tonight. If we were to take them tonight rather then waiting until morning I believe we could catch them by surprise. Add to that my Byakugan and Shino-kun's allies and the battle should easily turn in our favor." Suggested Hinata in a confident tone.

While Naruto listened to both of their suggestions and seemed to take it all in Shino was once again paying close attention to the interaction between his two teammates. He had noticed over the past several months a drastic change in the way Hinata acted and presented herself. It had started out slowly but the process had seemed to accelerate during their mission to Wave.

Where she used to be shy and unconfident to a fault she now seemed surer of herself and her actions. All through his academy years he remembered her blushing and stuttering and shying away from people but these traits had always greatly increased whenever she was around Naruto whom she had obviously been infatuated with for quiet sometime. However that had all changed now. While she was still somewhat shy she almost never stuttered anymore and while she still blushed a fair bit it was nowhere near what it had once been. There was something going on between his two teammates and for the life of him Shino couldn't figure it out.

The only thing that had kept him from inquiring as of yet was the fact that it did not appear to be causing any problems for the team and thus it was not an immediate concern. He still had every intention of confronting them about his observations in the near future but as it did not appear to be a threat to their chances in the exam he would let it slide for now.

He was prevented from following this train of thought any further however as it seemed that Naruto had come to a decision. He found it a little odd how he had accepted Naruto as the leader of their team without even realizing it. He supposed it made sense in some ways as he appeared to be the strongest of the three of them but it was odd how it had come about without notice.

"I think you're right Hinata. Let's give it a few more hours though and get a little sleep. We'll take them in the middle of the night while they're not expecting it. In fact if we're careful we might not even have to fight them to get their scroll. Is everybody in agreement?" Naruto asked as he looked at both of them. Upon getting a nod from both of his teammates the trio called their team meeting to a close and prepared themselves to get some sleep while Naruto assigned some clones to keep watch.

* * *

Haku continued to tree jump along the route she had been assigned as she made her way quickly towards the scene of the disturbance she had heard a few moments earlier. For the past few hours she had been exploring the area in search of the bandits she had been assigned to bring to justice. Recently she had come across what she believed to be their camp only to find it empty. She had been about to head off in search of them again when she had heard screams in this direction followed immediately by a small burst of killer intent which had led her to check it out.

Now as she landed on a branch overlooking a small clearing in the forest she couldn't believe what she saw. Scattered around the clearing were the bodies of the dozen or so bandits, all clearly dead and hunched over one of them going through the man's pockets was the clocked figure of the person obviously responsible for the massacre. Just as Haku was about to announce her presence she was surprised when the figure disappeared. A moment later she felt a presence behind her and was about to turn and attack when a voice froze her in place.

"Hello Haku. It's seems our young blonde friend has followed through on his word after all. I must admit I had my doubts as to whether or not I would see you again when I reached Konoha but it's good to see my doubts were unwarranted." Said the voice that Haku immediately recognized as her friend Tatsuki.

Whirling around to face the women she thought she would never see again she embraced her quickly while laughing out loud. "It's so good to see you again Tatsuki. I thought I'd lost my only friend when you didn't come back with us. I can't believe you're really here." she gushed in a manner that was very unlike her. She just couldn't help it. Naruto had said that she would show up eventually but she hadn't been so sure. Now she scolded herself lightly for doubting him after he had proved himself so many times.

Tatsuki laughed along with the younger girl and hugged her back for a moment before jumping back into the clearing and going about searching the dead bandits again. "I'll admit that I fought with myself for sometime before deciding to come and take the blonde up on his offer but ultimately I just couldn't pass up the chance. He's just like me in so many ways and the way he talked when we fought I just couldn't shake the feeling that I got from it all. He just seemed so passionate and honest; I don't think it was ever really a question as to whether I would show up here or not. I think I knew the answer from the very beginning, I just needed some time to admit it to myself." She said.

"Help me out here will you. These idiots attacked me thinking they could have their way with me. They got what they deserved if you ask me. I figured since I killed them I might as well help myself to whatever they've stolen from others. I'm a little low on cash you know. Just look around and see if you can find anything of value on them. I'm going to go find their camp in a minute. I'll split whatever we find with you if you like. So how has your stay been so far and what are you doing out here by yourself?" Tatsuki asked as she made her way to the next corpse.

Haku nodded and began checking the other bodies while explaining what had happened so far and about the task the council had assigned her to prove her loyalty to Konoha. Tatsuki laughed at the irony of it and told her she could thank her for doing her job for her by buying her a drink when they got back to town. Together the pair continued on and caught up as they made their way towards the camp and then back to the patrol route Haku had been assigned.

* * *

Late into the night Naruto, Shino, and Hinata were awoken by one of the clones who had been assigned to guard them and scout the area. After checking the time quickly the trio ate a quick breakfast and then headed out towards the mist teams location. It seemed they had picked their time well as when they arrived in the general area two of the tree members of their target team were sleeping while the third sat hidden within a small pool of water at the base of the tree. If it hadn't been for Hinata they might have missed him but as it was they spotted him easily enough and quietly made their way around him.

Naruto had to give it to their targets. The amount, types, and locations of the traps they had laid out were perfect to catch pretty much any team off guard and had they been going up against anybody else it would have likely succeeded. As it was with the help of Shino's allies and Hinata's bloodline they were able to slowly but surely sidestep every last one of their traps as well as add a few of their own which would mask their escape.

When they finally got right up beside the two sleeping targets, one of which had the scroll they needed tucked safely away within his pack, Naruto nodded to Hinata to keep a look out before he very carefully removed the scroll from their bag, ensured it was the real thing and then replaced it with one of his clones which he cast a henge on to look exactly like the scroll. A moment later they had left and taken their traps with them leaving three mist ninja completely unaware that they had ever been there.

When they finally made it back to their camp some twenty minutes later Naruto burst out laughing at the absurdity of it all. It would be ages before they figured out that they didn't really have their scroll and it was perhaps his best prank ever. He said as much to his two teammates a moment later when he recovered enough to speak causing Hinata to giggle and Shino to smile softly in response.

The prankster in Naruto truly hoped that the mist team got the other scroll and made it to the tower so that he could see the looks on their faces when they realized they had been walking around with a fake scroll the whole time. He could just see their faces now.

With their task complete the trio proceeded to get some more sleep with the intention of heading to the tower the following day. Or rather that was what Shino believed. In realty both Hinata and Naruto knew that they needed to stay out for at least another day to ensure that Sasuke escaped his encounter with Orochimaru without receiving the curse seal but there was no way to tell their teammate that without revealing a whole lot more that Naruto just didn't quite feel comfortable revealing yet.

As Naruto lay in his makeshift bed and waited for his two teammates to fall asleep he thought on this issue for not the first time. In his past life he had gotten to know Shino somewhat but nowhere near as well as others. He had been one of the first of his friends to die and that had come at a time when they had only just begun to get to know each other. He knew that Shino set logic above all else and that he was loyal to both his friends and Konoha. The question was which came first?

That was his concern. If he let Shino in on what was really going on would he feel it necessary to inform others. Would he feel it was his duty to let his parents know, or the Anbu, or any number of other people whom had no reason for knowing? He wasn't sure and it was that reason that had kept him from bringing his friend within the fold so far. Hinata had told him on several occasions that she felt he would keep their secret and if he was truthful with himself so did he but he just wasn't ready to make that decision yet.

A few minutes later he was relatively sure his teammates were asleep and he decided to begin the next phase of his plan. It was time that he confronted an old enemy and turn him into the friend he had come to be. So slowly as to not wake the others Naruto crept from his bed and made his way out of the tree completely unaware that Shino was still awake and that he had pinned him with several of his allies.

* * *

Shino watched silently and passively as his teammate left the safety of their hideout with a confused frown on his face. He had been nearly asleep and had thought that his teammates were as well. That was until his allies whom he had placed on both Naruto and Hinata so as to keep watch over them if they ever got separated had informed him that Naruto was in fact wide awake and did not seem to have any intention of sleeping In the near future.

Now as he watched his teammate leave their camp and set out away from them he wondered what on earth the blonde could be doing. He waited patiently for fifteen minutes or so trying to decide what to do. At first he had thought perhaps he had to use the washroom but that was soon proven wrong as Naruto had continued at high speeds farther and farther away from them without stopping. After that he had assumed the blonde just wanted to get some fresh air but as the minutes ticked on that became more and more unlikely. Finally he decided it was time to figure this all out and with that decision made he turned towards his other teammate to confront her.

Shino paused a moment as he looked down at her before shaking his head. No… He would confront Naruto first. His clan had always been known for its logic and its ability to read people. Everything that he was told him that whatever this secret was it was Naruto that would have to make the decision to tell him. He understood enough to know that he was the key and that Hinata would never betray the trust they had. Nodding resolutely he stood quickly and quietly from his sleeping bag and left to follow Naruto while leaving several of his allies behind to wake Hinata should danger approach.

* * *

As Naruto made his way towards Gaara's location he suddenly froze as one of the clones he had sent ahead of him dispelled itself flooding his consciousness with information that set his blood to boil once more. He hadn't even considered the possibility that they would meet like this but now that he was alone, with no chance of his teammates stumbling upon him as he did the deed he couldn't help but think about his revenge once more.

Surely he had the time to do this one thing before dealing with Gaara. The bastard deserved what he got after all. He had killed his Hinata-chan in his past life and that alone deserved death but he had also been responsible for a great many other deaths as well. Yes it would only take a few moments to end that bastard's existence and he had made a promise to himself that he would make him pay.

Even as these thoughts crossed his mind he felt himself begin to change. Within himself he felt an unbelievable hatred taking over and he felt the Kyuubi roar within his cage for vengeance. Even now after years of working together it was rare that the two of them agreed so totally on a course of action. In fact it was so rare that he couldn't bring himself to refuse. He let himself be led along towards his target as the blood red haze of hatred filled his vision and clouded his judgment. Today would be the day he brought the four eyes to justice.

Naruto shot forward from branch to branch with incredible speed but with absolute silence as he made his way towards his quarry. A moment later he landed unheard on a branch overlooking a tiny clearing where three supposed leaf ninja resided. Naruto felt himself grinning evilly as he looked out across the clearing to where a silver haired boy sat atop a branch surveying the area for any threats but completely overlooking his presence. Little did the boy know that these were his final moments.

He sat patiently watching the boy he hated with all his being reveling in the knowledge that he was about to have his revenge, that he was finally going to strike back at Orochimaru for all the evil he had done in both lives. Looking down at the other two he growled silently to himself. They would pay as well. Both of them had aided the bastard and both were equally involved with Orochimaru. Yes he said to himself. All three of them would die this night but first he would take care of Kabuto.

In the very next moment he had shot forward from his hiding spot with such unbelievable speed that it seemed as if one instance he was there and the next he was standing before Kabuto, his blood red eyes freezing the boy in place for but an instant and that instant was all he needed. His clawed hand shot out with blinding speed and a moment later the sound of flesh tearing and blood splattering upon the ground could be heard as it sunk into the boy's stomach and emerged from the other side pinning him to the tree.

Kabuto's eyes became as round as dinner plates as his body tried desperately to repair the damage but it was no use. With the arm still sticking through his body it was impossible to heal. Naruto leaned forward so that his mouth was right beside the boy's ear and spoke in a tone that promised unending pain and torment before the end.

"Today you atone for your sins Kabuto. Know that in time I will send your master to join you but for now you go alone with only your two petty servants there to join you. But I'm not going to make it easy on you. Oh no… that wouldn't be any fun and we both know how much you love to play with your subjects. No I think I'll make you suffer a bit first. Let's see just how impressive those regenerative capabilities of yours are shall we." And with that he chuckled softly as he pulled back to see something he had never seen upon Kabuto's face before. FEAR.

A moment later he seemed to come to himself and his hands flashed through a series of hand signs in an attempt to save himself before his hand shot out with a glowing blue light only to be stopped short as a glowing crimson tale wrapped around his wrist and snapped it effortlessly.

"Now, now Kabuto. Play nice." Chuckled Naruto before wrenching his arm free of the boy's stomach and slashing his claw across his chest. A second later he flicked his tail, hurling the boy across the clearing where he smashed into a tree alerting his two teammates to his plight.

The two jumped to their feet to aid Kabuto who was slowly and shakily climbing to his. Kabuto smirked back at him while the whole in his stomach closed up and the wounds on his chest began to heal. "Hello Naruto-kun. I must admit I'm unsure how you figured me out but it matters not. You won't live long enough to tell anybody else and when I'm done with you we'll kill the rest of your team just to be sure." said Kabuto with his ever present smirk. The fear of a moment ago gone as if it never existed.

Naruto smiled a truly horrific smile as a second tail sprang to life behind him. "Then come traitor and let us see just who wins this fight. I look forward to painting the ground red with your blood. I swear to you bastard that before this night is out I shall have the pleasure of watching the light disappear from your eyes." and with that the four shot forward and the battle began anew.

* * *

Shino stood rooted to the spot in complete and utter confusion and terror. The things he had just heard as they watched what had to be Naruto confront the silver haired genin he had been eyeing the previous day did not make sense. Naruto had called him a traitor, in fact he inferred that all 3 of them were and while all 3 seemed surprised by his claims as Shino would have expected, it was for a completely different reason then he would have thought. They seemed surprise that Naruto KNEW not that he had said it. That meant it was true which brought up even more questions for Shino. How HAD he known? The mystery surrounding the blonde continued to grow and he found himself at a loss to explain it.

While he wasn't showing it outwardly he was quite scared, the power and bloodlust he felt coming off of Naruto was unlike anything he had ever felt, even when they had fought Zabuza on the bridge in Wave. What was this red chakra that surrounded his blond teammate? How was it that he was so unbelievably strong and fast? But most importantly of all why was every one of his allies screaming for him to run and never look back? What was this evil taint that filled the air and seemed to originate from Naruto? It was something he had experienced only once before and then only faintly. That day on the bridge he had felt something similar from the direction in which Naruto fought. At the time he had thought it was Naruto's opponent. But now… Now it appeared he had been wrong.

As he watched the battle rage below him he shuddered briefly at the complete lack of remorse Naruto seemed to be showing. All ready he had torn one of the 3 apart without so much as a second thought. In fact if anything he had seemed to enjoy it. Shino swore to himself that he would solve this mystery if it was the last thing he did but for now he would watch. He had no desire to confront Naruto in his current state and he was not naive enough to believe he could be of any help in a battle of this caliber.

* * *

Naruto rejoiced as he felt his right claw tear through the soft flesh of one of Kabuto's partners completely separating his left arm from the rest of his body in a shower of blood and gore. He snapped a kick out lightning fast knocking the boy away from his primary target and began stalking towards Kabuto who stood at the other side of the clearing with an unimpressed look upon his face.

Naruto chanced a look at the other two and laughed out loud. "It seems I overestimated your help a bit. I had expected them to put up a bit more of a fight then that but I guess I just don't know my own strength. Don't worry though I'll be sure to drag your death out as much as I can. I want to make sure you suffer like my Hinata-chan suffered. I want you to know what it feels like to watch your life slowly slip away and know that there is nothing you can do to stop it. By the time I'm done with you bastard you'll be begging me for death." And with that he completely disappeared causing Kabuto's eyes to shoot open in surprise barely an instant before he was thrown violently through the tree he stood in front of causing the base of it to shatter from the impact.

Before he could hit another however the Kyuubi brat was before him once more in mid air and in that instance he knew that he was dead. The boy had moved with such speed and grace that he didn't doubt for an instance that his life was over. Perhaps in a few years, with more training from his master he might have been able to get away but not in his current state. That didn't mean he was going to lie down and die. If he was lucky he could take the boy with him.

Naruto for his part was completely unaware of Kabuto's thoughts. His mind was lost within the rush of bloodlust that had taken him over and he had completely given up all concern of his own safety. Now for the moment all he cared about was ensuring that the person in front of him suffered as much as possible. With that in mind he continued bashing him around with an almost sadistic glee. He was only playing with him and he was sure Kabuto knew it. For the time being it was just a game. Not unlike the way a cat plays with a mouse before finally ending its life when the game has grown old.

For another ten minutes or so this continued in much the same fashion. First Naruto would shoot the boy through a tree or into the ground or through the air only to arrive a moment later and shoot him off in another direction. Each time he would swipe at him with his claws and each time the wounds would slowly heal due to Kabuto's regenerative capabilities resulting in the boy becoming weaker and weaker.

Finally after what Naruto was sure must have felt like an eternity to Kabuto he seized the boy in mid air and landed softly on the ground. Holding the boy by the throat with on of his tails Naruto looked deeply into his eyes before speaking just loud enough for Kabuto to hear. "I grow tired of this game Kabuto. Your healing capabilities are quite impressive but I have one last test for you. Pass it and you shall live. Fail and you will die. It's as simple as that. Do you understand?" he questioned. When the boy looked up at him with heavily lidded eyes and nodded briefly Naruto smirked at him in an evil way.

"Then regenerate this asshole." And before the boy could even process the blondes words Naruto had thrust his hand into his chest and ripped out his heart. Kabuto screamed in pain and shock as he felt his heart pulled from his body and watched as Naruto crushed it before his very eyes. An instant later the sound died on his lips and the light faded from his eyes as Naruto had swore it would. With the task done Naruto turned from the scene dropping the remains of the boy and the heart at his feet only to freeze in place from shock and fear as his eyes rested upon the horrified form of Shino.

* * *

It was a side of Naruto that he had never seen before. Shino had never expected to see such a look of blatant bloodlust on his carefree face. It was something that just didn't mesh with his mental image of him and it scared him nearly to death. When he saw Naruto turn towards him and realize he was their, He thought for a moment that Naruto would kill him. So he was never so happy as he was when his red eyes turned back to blue and the taint that had previously surrounded him faded away leaving the boy he had come to know as a friend standing before him with a horrified look on his face.

What startled Shino perhaps the most was that Naruto did not seem horrified by what he had done or even sorry for that matter but rather he seemed disturbed that someone had witnessed it.

* * *

A moment later Hinata landed softly beside Shino causing the usually composed boy to jump in fright. It was a sign of just how scared he was that he would so openly show his emotions. She had woken only moments after Shino had left and with her bloodline she had followed after him worrying about where Naruto had gone. Now as she stood looking over the scene before her and remembering how it had come to be she silently wished to herself that she had stayed in their little hollow.

It was a side of him she had never before seen and like Shino it scared her far more then she would ever wish to admit. She knew all his reasons, she knew all the pain that this man had caused him and so she didn't blame him but deep inside she hoped and prayed that she would never have to see that side of him again.

That certainly didn't mean that she never expected him to fight again or even kill again. No, she knew that in their lives death was just part of who they were and what they did. What she really hoped was that she would never see him enjoying it again. She could only hope that what she had seen had just been a piece of the Kyuubi's persona bleeding into him and that it wasn't something deeper. She had promised herself that nothing would ever change her feelings for him but this… this had come very close.

A minute later however and she knew her fears were unfounded. The look of absolute shame and fear in his eyes when he turned to see them standing there told her everything she needed to know. This had been a rare occasion. This was something he felt he had to do to put the demons and ghosts of his past to rest, to allow the souls of his friends to finally sleep in peace.

Even with his face and body smeared with blood and the absolute vision of carnage visible in the background she couldn't bring herself to hate him or even fear him. His eyes had always been windows to his soul and right now they told her that he was ashamed that he had lost control and that they had witnessed his slip. But more then that they showed just how truly vulnerable he was.

Before her very eyes she could see him drawing back within himself preparing for the inevitable rejection he felt was coming. She watched as all the walls and defenses she had broken down in the past few months flew up and the sight of it nearly brought her to tears. She knew that it had been her fault or at least partially. When she had first come across him she hadn't even tried to hide her revulsion to the sight before her and that look was what greeted him when he turned around.

It was a look that she was sure he had seen in the future a great many times and the fact that Shino, their normally emotionless friend, had wore a similar expression must have tore deep into his very soul. She cursed herself for being so careless and without thinking about the consequences of her actions she rushed forward and embraced him, speaking quickly to alleviate the pain and suffering she had caused before he could turn away from her.

"It's ok Naruto-kun. Really it is. I don't blame you for what you did. You did what you had to and it's over now. Everything's going to be alright." Babbled Hinata as she clung to him desperately. Behind her Shino watched the entire scene with an expression of confusion as he took in everything he had just seen and heard. Slowly things were coming together for him and he just knew that the next piece of the puzzle would make it all fall together.

Naruto smiled a small genuine smile as he leaned into Hinata. It must have looked odd to the casual observer to see such an intimate gesture being made by a child of his age and typically he would have contained himself, especially in front of people as inquisitive as Shino but at the moment he couldn't bring himself to care. Not two minutes ago he had been absolutely sure he was about to loose the one person he wanted to hold onto above all else and now he was safely in her arms with all traces of those thoughts banished from his mind.

He allowed himself the comfort of her arms for a few more minutes before pulling back and looking over her shoulder to where Shino stood with questions clearly written upon his face and he sighed to himself. He had really blown it this time. He supposed that it had been inevitable that he would have to tell somebody else eventually. He had jumped the gun on the wave mission when forced and had lucked out in a way with the whole neural poison episode with Haku. He had wanted to avoid doing the same thing again but he supposed that if he had to tell anybody else Shino was as good a choice as any.

Now however was not the time to be dealing with these questions and so walking slowly towards the boy he smiled his usual goofy grin before going serious and looking him straight in the face. "I promise to tell you everything Shino and I never go back on my word because that's my nindo. All I ask is that you let it wait until the three of us are alone and back at our base. Now isn't the time or the place to be having a conversation like the one you want." He said seriously.

Surprisingly or unsurprisingly depending on how you look at it Shino agreed easily with him on this point and for the time being let it slide. Looking down at himself quickly Naruto sighed once more. So much for going straight to see Gaara he thought to himself. He would have to get cleaned up first. Shaking his head he turned back to his teammates and laughed slightly. "I guess I should go clean up. Why don't you meet me back at camp, I won't be long I promise."

Both nodded and he smiled in response before taking off towards the river back in the direction of camp.

* * *

Half an hour later Naruto strolled into their base of operations in just his boxers having thrown away his ruined clothes. Hinata of course blushed brightly seeing him in such a state as a small trail of blood began to trickle from her nose which she wiped away before anyone could see. She didn't want anyone to know that she had thoughts like _THAT_ about Naruto. Naruto quickly got dressed in a set of spare clothes before turning to his teammates.

"Alright Shino I promised I would tell you everything and I meant it. However at this exact moment I have something more pressing to take care of. Will you trust me one more time?" Naruto asked.

Shino studied Naruto's face for a moment for nodding in a detached manner. The fear from earlier clearly forgotten. "Whatever you're secret is Naruto I promise to keep your confidence so long as it does not go against my duty to this village." He responded. Beside him Hinata beamed in response to his answer. For Shino that was practically a pledge of loyalty in the highest degree.

Naruto smiled softly in turn and nodded his head in understanding. "Alright then since you're going to find out anyways you might as well come along. All I ask is that you keep an open mind and that you don't act without consulting me first. You're going to hear some things that are going to confuse and surprise you and perhaps even scare you a little. I promise that all will be explained in the end. But for the good of our village and our future I ask that you trust in me." Naruto requested.

Shino nodded in understanding. Although he was truly confused by his teammate's cryptic message it appeared that whatever was going on was of great importance and that it involved some type of plot against the village. For the time being he would follow along and bide his time. He trust Naruto and Hinata as the only two true friends he felt he had and if they said they would reveal all to him in time then he would give them that time.

Turning from the pair Naruto headed back out the hole in the tree and took off towards his targets direction with Shino and Hinata following close behind. For nearly an hour the pair tree jumped in silence with only the sound of their feet hitting wood to greet them. Finally after a few more minutes Naruto landed on a tree branch a few hundred meters from where Gaara's team was camped. A moment later Shino and Hinata landed on either side of him.

"Remember your promise Shino and no matter what you see or hear don't interfere. This is important to the survival of our village and the continued existence as life as we know it." The slight nod of his head told Naruto all he needed to know and he turned away from them again.

"I want you guys to stay and watch from here incase things get ugly. Gaara isn't exactly known for kindness right now and I can't be sure I would be able to protect you if you get to close." And with that he took off leaving the pair to sit and watch as things unfolded before them.

* * *

Naruto landed just inside the tight knot of trees that concealed Gaara's position. With his advanced chakra sensing capabilities that he had honed during the course of the war Naruto knew that the sand trio's camp was just past the clearing concealed at the base of one of the larger trees. Gaara of course was on watch as he never really slept much due to his tenant and it was something that at this exact moment Naruto was extremely grateful for. It would certainly make things a lot easier to be able to deal with Gaara one on one rather then having to try to convince his siblings at the same time.

As he took in the small clearing around him his eyes locked onto those of his fellow demon vessel and despite himself he felt a small smile flow across his face at the site of his old friend. He wasn't exactly sure how he planned on doing this but he knew that upsetting Gaara was NOT something he wanted to do which meant the situation called for extreme caution. Walking forward slowly Naruto stopped in the middle of the clearing and softly called out to Gaara.

"Yo Gaara, how's it hanging?" Gaara for his part looked at the boy with a faint glint in his eyes as he pushed off the tree he had been leaning against and took a step forward. "Have you come to prove my existence?" he asked as the sand in his gourd slowly began to seep from the top and fall to the ground around him.

In an instant Naruto's face went from care free to serious. "No Gaara, I haven't come to prove your existence. I've come to free a friend from his prison of solitude and repay a debt that can never be repaid." Naruto replied in a cryptic manner which caused Gaara to pause for a moment and tilt his head to the side in confusion.

Seeing Gaara pause if only briefly Naruto decided to push his advantage "I know how you feel Gaara. You and I are so alike. We both carry a burden that few others could possibly understand. I know the feeling of loneliness that fills your entire being. I know it because I used to be just like you. I was all alone with nobody to care for me. No friends, no family, and my entire village hated me for something that I had no control over. For the burden that I held so they didn't have to. I know it all too well Gaara but I'm living proof that it doesn't have to be that way." He said earnestly.

For a moment Naruto thought he was getting through to him as Gaara continued to pause where he was but only for a moment. An instant later that thought was dispelled as all the sand in his gourd burst forth and he began to move. "You will prove my existence. Mother craves blood." And just like that Naruto's plans were shot to hell.

Naruto cursed as the sand wrapped around his legs holding him in place. Quickly forming a seal behind his back Naruto replaced himself with one of the clones he had seeded around the clearing and sighed in relief as a moment later the clone was crushed within the sand coffin. Stepping out of his hiding spot again he addressed Gaara once more.

"That isn't your mother Gaara. Your mother is dead. She's dead because your father put a demon inside of you at birth and the process killed her. She's dead because your father cared more for obtaining a powerful weapon then he cared for his own family. Trust me when I say I understand how you feel and I want to help. Listen to me Damnit. That THING you hear talking to you is really the demon sealed inside of you. It's because of that THING that you've spent your entire life hated by your village and feared by your family. It's because of that bastard that you've spent your entire life protecting yourself from assassination attempts by your own people. Don't let it control you anymore Gaara. Don't let it take this from you too." He said softly but with conviction as another wave of sand rushed towards him.

Just as he was about to switch with another clone again the wave stopped just meters away and then parted showing Gaara's confused by curious face. "Explain" was his only explanation to this action and Naruto openly smiled at him.

"I want to help you Gaara. I want to help you because we're alike. I know what it's like to be looked down upon by everybody in your village and to be hated for something you had no control over. I know what it's like to have everything taken from you and to be totally and absolutely alone in this world. I know what it's like to live in that hell but now I know what it's like to live outside of it as well. After all the years of loneliness and hatred I've found friends who accept me for who I am and they've saved me from my prison of loneness. Let me help you Gaara. Let me be your friend." Naruto said as he stared at Gaara.

Naruto could tell that he was getting through to Gaara. The boy seemed to be visibly fighting with himself and Naruto could tell that he only needed to push a little more. He needed to take a chance and hope that the Gaara he knew was in there somewhere and able to break free. "The invasion will fail Gaara. Your father will be betrayed and killed by Orochimaru and he will take your fathers place in disguise. Your being used just like your village has been using you for your whole life. This invasion will fail one way or another but if we stand together a lot of people will live who would have otherwise died on both sides and maybe, just maybe the people from your village will start to see that you're not the monster they think you are. But regardless of what anybody else thinks, I promise that you will always have me as your friend. That's the promise of a lifetime and I never go back on my word because that's my nindo." Said Naruto with as much feeling as he could.

Gaara regarded the boy silently as his words rang in his mind. He had been mildly surprised at first that the boy knew about the invasion. Not that he cared really as he didn't really have an opinion about the invasion one way or the other. Now however as his words rang through his mind he could not deny that in his heart he wished he could have the life this boy had. Gaara had seen the angry stares Naruto received from those in his village and the voice in his head had been screaming in his mind since the moment he had met him. It was obvious that his demon was scared of this boy or more likely what rested inside of him.

As he regarded the boy carefully Gaara considered his offer. He had never had a friend before. This boy only seemed to have a few and yet he seemed so much happier with his life. Could friends truly make that much of a difference? The closest thing he had ever had to a friend was his old caretaker. He had to admit that as he thought back on his times with her he did remember his life being much happier. It was true that she had turned on him in the end but for some reason he didn't think Naruto would.

The demon inside his head screamed for blood and for the first time in as long as he could remember he resisted. He didn't want to kill this boy. He didn't want to waste this chance at friendship. Something inside of him told him that the offer was genuine and he didn't want to be alone anymore. Slowly the sand began to return to his gourd and Gaara began moving forward. "Why do you wish to help me? Why do you want to be my friend?" he asked in confusion.

"Because you and I are alike. When I look at you I see the person I could have become if I hadn't been saved, if I hadn't found my precious people. I can't turn away from you without at least trying because if our roles were reversed I would hope you would do the same for me. Nobody should ever be alone Gaara and that goes doubly for people like us." he responded as he thought back on the sacrifice Gaara had made in the end.

Gaara seemed to consider this for a moment before nodding his head and stopping just over a meter away from Naruto. Naruto smiled in response and held out his hand. "Friends?" he asked as he looked Gaara right in the eyes. Gaara looked at the hand briefly as if confused before slowly putting out his own hand and shaking Naruto's lightly.

Naruto's expression turned serious once again as he released Gaara's hand and looked in his eyes. "The first thing to do Gaara is to free you from your demon's torment. Those idiots couldn't even seal that thing inside your properly. They used such a weak seal that it's been able to slowly eat away at you and turn you into something you're not. If you'll trust me, and let me past your defense then I'll change that." Said Naruto.

Gaara remained motionless for a moment as if considering his words before nodding his head. Naruto smiled in response. "Alright Gaara. Take of your shirt so I can see the seal they put on you. I'm just going to warn you that this is going to hurt like a bitch and there's nothing I can do about it. You'll likely be out cold for a few hours because of the pain. Not that you couldn't use the rest after all of these years of insomnia." Naruto said with regret painted on his face.

Once again Gaara nodded his understand and removed his shirt before looking back up at his new friend. For the first time in a long time his face contorted into one of fear as he considered what was about to happen. Naruto smiled reassuringly at him in response. "There may be nothing I can do about the pain Gaara but I promise that it won't last long and when this is done you will not only be able to access the demons power freely but you will also be able to stay in control of yourself while you sleep. Trust in me and I promise to look out for you." the blond said and after a moment Gaara nodded again. "I trust you." the boy said and Naruto was momentarily surprised by the faith despite himself.

Shaking himself a few moments later Naruto smiled and nodded in response before flashing through dozens of seals. Finally as he finished he grabbed his right hand which began to glow a bright blue on each finger and he slammed his palm into the seal which sat over Gaara's heart. To his amazement Gaara held in his cry of pain and managed to stay conscious although he did sink to his knees before him.

Naruto looked at his handiwork carefully when Gaara fell backwards and leaned against the tree before finally slipping unconscious. It seemed the five point seal had gone over the original three point seal flawlessly or at least as far as he could tell. He suddenly wished he had brought Hinata with him so that she could have told him how his chakra system had reacted to the seal.

A noise outside of the clearing alerted him to his siblings approach and Naruto quickly put Gaara's shirt back on before placing him back on the branch where he had be sitting when he first entered the clearing. He could only hope that his siblings were too afraid to push any questions on Gaara for the time being and gave him enough time to recover. With his task complete and the sun slowly beginning to rise in the sky Naruto quickly left to return to his teammates.

* * *

When they arrived back at the base camp Naruto lay down in his sleeping bag nearly exhausted from everything he had been through that day so far. He closed his eyes and sighed tiredly as he heard his two teammates enter behind him. He half expected Shino to pounce with his questions but it seemed the bug user was just as tired as he was. In the end it was Hinata who suggested they get some sleep and talk again in the morning.

* * *

To Naruto's immense surprise and pleasure the conversation the following morning proved to be quite anticlimactic. While Shino had certainly been surprised by the various revelations, they did not change his opinion in a negative way as Naruto had feared. Hinata of course had lightly chided him afterwards for worrying even after she had promised him everything would be fine.

With Shino suddenly within the fold, planning for the Snake Sannin's eventual attack on Sasuke became much easier. It was obviously easier to move forward with their plans without having to sneak around and it had the added benefit of being able to use Shino's outstanding logic to solve some of the tougher problems. Between the three of them they were able to create a plan of action and began to put it into play immediately.

* * *

The next day or so passed without incident and Naruto was beginning to wonder if something had changed in the timeline to prevent Orochimaru from coming to capture Sasuke. In his previous life the snake bastard had shown up during the second day of the exam but currently it was the morning of the third day and he had yet to see hide nor hair of the slimy prick.

Currently they were heading in the general direction of Sasuke's team who in turn were heading towards the tower now that they had both scrolls. According to Hinata both teams would reach their destination within a couple hours at their current pace meaning that things had obviously changed to some extent.

Truthfully Naruto wasn't sure what to think of that. He was happy of course that the person he had once considered a brother was likely to avoid getting the curse seal which in turn would likely prevent him from leaving the village but on the other hand he was worried that he had somehow changed things too much without even noticing. Changing that one event would change so much of what he knew that it could potentially destroy his chances of saving this timeline and that thought scared him to death.

He supposed there was no point thinking about it right now since it was either going to happen or not and their was nothing he could do about it so he might as well relax. A moment later he was brought out of his thoughts by a squeak from Hinata followed immediately by Shino stiffening. It seemed things hadn't changed quite as much as he thought.

* * *

The first thought that crossed Sasuke's mind after the explosion was that everything hurt. The second and far more important however was that he was a complete a total moron. They had just gotten the second scroll about an hour ago and in the excitement of their success he and the rest of his team had let their guards down. They had been on a high from their previous battle and they had all foolishly thought that they were home free. As a result he hadn't had his Sharingan active and Kiba hadn't been actively scouting the area as they had been earlier in the exam.

Their current situation was a direct result of those mistakes. Had any of them been really paying attention they would have caught site of the hundreds of explosive notes that had practically peppered the section of forest they were in. Had Kiba been scouting they would have noticed the dumb fuck that was currently laughing at them from a few trees over and mocking them for their failure to pay attention, and had they not been so slow to respond they might have even been able to out of his mine field without a scratch.

As it was they hadn't been doing any of those things and so it wasn't until he had practically had an explosive note hit him in the face as he jumped from one tree to the next that he noticed them. His shouted warning had been just in time to avoid their deaths but not early enough to avoid them being tossed around like rag dolls by the explosive force. From the corner of his eye he could see Sakura slumped forward against a large tree trunk where Kiba had placed her as she fell after being knocked unconscious.

Kiba was currently lying on the ground some hundred feet below after being kicked in the face by the stupid grass ninja who had staged all this and didn't seem to be getting up anytime soon. While he, Sasuke, the great Uchiha was struggling to push himself to his feet on the thick branch he had landed on a minute or so ago.

Finally managing to get to his feet he glared murderously towards the tall grass nin across the way from him. He vaguely remembered him from the start of this phase of the exam and wondered briefly where his teammates were. "I hope you don't think your going to be able to just walk all over me after some cheap trap like that knocked the wind out of me. I may be the only one conscious on my team but I'm still enough to wipe the floor with the likes of you. Nobody can beat the power of the Sharingan." Stated Sasuke in a cool and confident voice before smirking at his opponent and activating his Sharingan. In the very next moment he was frozen in place by the most intense blast of killer intent he had ever felt in his life and all thoughts of his supposed superiority left his mind.

* * *

At the sudden burst of killer intent Naruto turned his head towards Hinata and an instant later he disappeared in a burst of light using his improvised version of the Hiraishin no jutsu to close the mile or so between their destination knowing that they were out of time. Hinata and Shino in turn picked up the speed as much as they could to try and close the distance between them and their teammate as quickly as possible. They could only hope that Naruto could keep the Sannin at bay by himself until they got there to help.

* * *

Orochimaru smirked evilly as his tongue darted out to flick through the air briefly. It had been so easy to catch them he was almost disappointed. He had expected more from the Uchiha honestly but he supposed it worked all the same in the end. Deciding that there was no reason to play with this team any longer he prepared to brand the boy with his curse seal. Quickly flashing through a long series of seals his neck suddenly lengthened and his head shot out towards the boy who remained frozen in fear.

* * *

Naruto and Hinata had planned for this eventuality before the exam had even begun but Naruto had hoped they wouldn't have to use it. Taking the Sannin on head to head wasn't going to require revealing a lot more then he wanted to but letting him mark Sasuke just wasn't an option. Whatever happened would happen and they would deal with it as best they could.

Naruto shot forward from the foliage just as Orochimaru begun his sealing jutsu. It had been a race between him and Orochimaru. For an instant he thought he wouldn't make it as time seemed to slow down. The very next moment Naruto was bowling Sasuke over and they were both tumbling of the edge of the branch where they fell nearly twenty feet to the trunk below leaving a now furious Sannin behind.

That was where things had started to go wrong in Naruto's opinion. He had known before the battle even began that he was no match for Orochimaru in his current form and maybe not even with the Kyuubi's help. He had the skill needed to beat the bastard but his body wasn't fast enough or strong enough to keep up with his mind. It was as simple as that. It didn't matter how much he knew. He just didn't physically have what it would take to put the bastard down for good and so he had been depending on distraction and surprise to keep him tied up long enough for the big guns to arrive.

That plan had pretty much flown out the window with how things had ended up happening. Naruto had been planning on things going the same way they had before, with Orochimaru snapping off a wind jutsu and then toying with Sasuke a while before branding him but that wasn't how it had happened. He had pretty much went right for the kill this time, not wasting time to play with his prey. The result was that Naruto had arrived just in time to intercept the seal and not a moment sooner forcing him to reveal his presence in a way that completely threw the element of surprise out the window.

Now instead of being on the offensive as he had intended he was on the defensive with him and Sasuke jumping around like a bunch of bloody Mexican jumping beans trying desperately to avoid one jutsu after another. The only good thing Naruto could think to say about the situation was that Orochimaru seemed completely devoted to them and had no interest in dealing with Shino or Hinata who he knew had just arrived on the scene and were slowly making their way to their two downed friends which was certainty a relief in Naruto's mind.

Jumping onto a branch which sat some two hundred feet in the air Naruto paused briefly to catch his breath and take in the scene around him. To his right and further down on another tree Sasuke had was flashing through a series of hand signs for whatever jutsu he was planning on using while Orochimaru seemed to casually side step them one after another as if they were nothing but flies to him which Naruto supposed they probably were.

As he paused, hidden briefly from the battle below, his mind flashed back to the events of his past life. He remembered all the things that had happened as a direct or indirect result of Sasuke's betrayal and he felt his blood begin to boil. It was supposed to go differently this time. He was supposed to save his friends and yet here he was again, unable to do anything in the face of the one who had eventually destroyed everything he held dear.

What had been the point of coming back if it all just repeated itself? Why had he even bothered if he was going to just stand here and watch as his friend, his brother was taken from him again? NO he screamed in his mind as the red chakra burst from his skin and proceeded to wrap around him. He would NOT let this happen again. He had promised to himself that he would succeed and he NEVER went back on his word. THAT WAS HIS NINDO.

* * *

Orochimaru laughed mockingly into the air as he locked eyes with the boy before him. "It seems the famous Sharingan eyes have failed you dear Sasuke. I know what it is you want boy. You seek power to avenge the deaths of your family. You hunger for it as I do and you will do anything to get it. Consider this but a taste of what I can give you Sasuke. If you come to me I will make you more powerful then you could possibly believe and when that happens you will finally have what it takes to take your revenge upon your brother." Said the snake Sannin while chuckling to himself.

Without another seconds thought his head shot forward and he smirked to himself as he watched it reach its goal. Only for it to be intercepted again. He roared in anger and was about to strike out at the good for nothing blonde when a sound he had not heard in many years burst from the boys mouth and a chakra he had not felt in thirteen years filled the very air. The very next moment the world exploded in a symphony of fire and he knew nothing but pain.

* * *

In the thirteen years since Minato had died Sarutobi had slept easy knowing that regardless of what happened the Kyuubi would never walk the earth again. He had taken comfort as had a great many others in the knowledge that Minato's seal would never break and that Naruto would until the day he died; imprison the beast within himself ensuring that the village would never again have to fear its presence.

Not once in all his days had he ever doubted that knowledge. Until Now. The scene before him was something he had never before thought he would have to face and yet there it was. Mere seconds ago his world had been turned upside down and his village had been thrust into danger once again. As he looked outside the window what he saw horrified him so much that he could not process what he was seeing.

He was vaguely aware of the door to his office bursting open and a frantic ninja babbling about the Kyuubi's release but he stood motionless as he stared at the forest in the distance where mere moments ago a towering inferno of crimson chakra had burst into existence turning the very sky blood red and blanketing the entire area with pure unbridled hate and killer intent.

Finally after a moment he was able to snap himself from his thoughts and turn towards his duty. With his mind freed of distraction once again he was able to think logically. The power he felt now was but a fraction of what he had felt in the past which meant the Kyuubi couldn't have freed itself. At least not yet. Turning cold determined eyes towards the chuunin before him he barked out his orders even as he turned towards the window to leave.

"Gather all available Ninja and meet me at the scene of the disturbance immediately. No one is to attack without my express permission. Time is of the essence. For the moment the Kyuubi is still contained and we must keep it that way. dismissed." And with that he disappeared in a cloud of smoke leaving a frantic ninja to follow his orders.

* * *

It had all happened so fast that Naruto wasn't completely sure how it had happened. One moment he had been standing on a branch high above the fight wrapped in the Kyuubi's chakra and preparing to enter the fight again and the next his world had exploded in pain as a sensation of being burned alive had washed over him.

The sensation had started in his neck and with blinding speed had spread to the rest of his body leaving him screaming in rage and pain like he had never done before. In the back of his mind he had vaguely been aware of the piercing sensation in his neck moments before the pain had come but in his current state he couldn't consciously acknowledge that.

He tried desperately to push the feelings away, to focus on what had happened, if for no other reason then to know why he hurt so much but he couldn't do it. It hurt. Oh god it hurt. The pain was unbearable. He wished it would just go away. He wished it would stop and as if in answer to his prayers darkness finally claimed him.

* * *

He slowly opened his eyes to find himself staring into the somewhat concerned eyes of the Kyuubi who sat behind a pair of warped gates that seemed to be bending in every direction imaginable as if they would burst at any moment.

"**So you're awake kit. It seems you've gotten us into quite the situation. I can't say I have any idea what you were thinking when you charged forward like an idiot but you've good and fucked us with that last move of yours."** growled the Kyuubi in a voice that seemed to fill the entire chamber with ease.

Naruto grabbed his head and groaned in pain. It was no where near as bad as it had been but it was still there and god he wished it would stop. Looking towards the Kyuubi he squinted his eyes to fight the haze. _"What he hell happened? What's going on with the seal? I feel like my entire body is tearing itself apart."_ Grunted Naruto.

The Kyuubi laughed in a manner that clearly showed he found NOTHING about their current situation funny. **"You happened you fool. I bring you back to the past to fix it and at your first major engagement with the enemy you get us killed. You threw yourself in front of the Snake's sealing technique and as a result you were branded with a curse seal. As for what's happening with the seal and your body you were pretty close. Both are being torn apart as the foreign chakra from the curse seal is being forced into your system and is in turn battling with mine. Your body simply does not have the space for three chakra sources. You've as good as killed us fool."** Boomed the Kyuubi as his eyes burned brightly with anger.

Naruto grunted as a particularly powerful wave of pain passed through him and he felt his knees buckle beneath him. Looking up at the Kyuubi he gritted his teeth to fight the pain and then spoke slowly as best he could._ "There must be something we can do. There must be some way to fight this. There's no way it can end like this."_ Naruto said before roaring in pain as he toppled backwards.

The Kyuubi grunted as if in pain as well and shook his head in response. A moment later Naruto struggled to his feet again, his eyes burning red as he viciously ripped the fox's chakra from him. _"FUCK YOU STUPID FOX. YOU MAY BE READY TO DIE BUT I'M NOT. I SWORE I WOULD RIGHT THE WRONGS AND I INTEND TO DO JUST THAT. THAT IS MY NINDO AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT YOU CAN KISS MY ASS."_ And with that he pulled as much of the foxes chakra as he could and combined it with his own before forcing it through every pore in his body in a single violent burst.

As the darkness began to claim him once more he vaguely heard the Kyuubi chuckle in his mind and spoke a few final words.** "You never cease to amaze me kit. It seems I was wrong about our chances. Rest now and I shall watch over OUR precious people."** and with that he knew no more.

* * *

To Orochimaru it all happened in slow motion. He had cursed briefly when he realized that he had marked the Kyuubi brat instead of his intended target but aside from being pissed off at wasting more time hadn't given it a second thought. The very next instant the boy had screamed out in pain and he had had just enough time to smirk as his neck had pulled back before the world around him had literally exploded.

The boy had somehow tapped into the foxes power to an extent he hadn't expected to be possible and the chakra had burst forth from the boy with such force that he had been viciously thrown back as everything within a half a mile radius was practically destroyed by the sheer force of the boys power leaving nothing but a crater behind. Had it been any other time he would have been intrigued by what had just happened but as it stood the boy had just ruined his plans.

He knew the old man would be on his way now along with most of the ninja force and if he was found at the scene then his plans would be ruined. Sighing in annoyance as he locked his eyes on the Sasuke who had been thrown in the other direction he turned to leave. Only to be met with a pair of blood red eyes less then a foot in front of him.

Before he could react to the threat that stood before him one of the four tails behind him shot out with blinding speed, slamming into his stomach with the force of a jackhammer sending him skidding and rolling across the surface of the crater before slamming into the opposite wall with enough force to embed himself within it.

Pulling himself from the crater wall Orochimaru coughed up blood as he looked down as his left arm which was bent in several directions as was his left leg. He glared at the genin across the crater before shedding his skin quickly revealing a fresh body with none of the previous injuries he had suffered. Turning on his heal he quickly jumped towards the trees as quickly as he could in an effort to escape the situation he had gotten himself into.

A few seconds before he reached the tree four more blonds identical to the other jump from out of nowhere and begin kicking him further and further into the air in perfect synchronization preventing him from reclaiming his balance. As he reached the apex of his trip he was met with the same frighteningly red eyes for just an instant before an earth shattering axe kick was delivered to his chest.

The attack was over so quickly that Orochimaru hadn't had a chance to block or dodge. His mouth opened in a soundless scream as he felt his ribs shatter as he was rocketed towards the ground at untold speeds, causing a massive explosion of earth and trees upon impact.

* * *

Anko and Ibiki could only stare in astonishment and wonder as the thirteen year old genin proceeded to take the legendary Snake Sannin apart piece by piece. The results of the Arial assault causing the entire room to jump in surprise before going deathly silent as they watched to see what Orochimaru would do in response.

* * *

Hinata stood slowly from where she had been thrown clear of the blast by Naruto's chakra and tried to shake off the light headedness she felt as a result of the fall. Beside her Shino, Sasuke and Kiba were slowly regaining their feet in a similar manner while Sakura was still obviously unconscious.

Activating her bloodline quickly Hinata gasped as she watched Naruto square off against Orochimaru in his four tailed state. But something seemed to be off about him. He was acting more animalistic then normal, more vicious and if she remembered correctly he should have been able to hold at least one or two more tails before succumbing to the Kyuubi's influence. So why was he acting like a wild animal.

"Kiba you and Sasuke stay here with Sakura-san. She looks hurt pretty bad and that blast couldn't have helped her any either. Shino and I have to go help Naruto. I won't abandon him when he needs Me." she said before jumping forward into the trees and heading back towards the scene of the battle. Behind her Shino followed while Kiba and Sasuke grumbled but stayed none the less.

* * *

Orochimaru pulled his mutilated body from the newly formed crater and using his advanced restoration jutsu again he shed his skin to reveal yet another fully healed body. He laughed as the boy growled deep in his throat. "What's wrong Naruto-kun. You didn't really believe a weakling like you could truly defeat somebody of my caliber so easily did you. You did didn't you. Well, well, well… Aren't we the deluded little child." He mocked while in the inside his blood was really boiling.

This stupid genin had ruined everything. He had stolen his chance to capture Sasuke and even now he was sure the old man was rushing towards them. He had barely a few minutes to get clear or he would be caught. To think that a mere child would force him to go to such extents. He signed in an exaggerated fashion before smirking up at the boy again. "I suppose it's come to this. You should feel honored to experience me at my best boy." He said in a simpering tone.

The area was suddenly awash with a new source of killer intent as Orochimaru rushed towards the blond with incredible speed and the battle began again in earnest. Momentarily caught off guard by the incredible speed after all he had put the Sannin through so far Naruto is unable to completely dodge the vicious punch from causing him to be thrown clear through two trees before being tied tightly by thick snakes to the third.

With a roar the Kyuubi's chakra shredded the snakes and Naruto burst forward to intercept the rushing Sannin delivering a brutal uppercut at the same as the Sannin landed his right hook sending them both rocketing away from each other and through the foliage.

A moment later the pair was back in the middle again exchanging blows left and right as they circled each other. For nearly a minute the pair threw punches and kicks while blocking the return blows in an endless stream of attacks. Finally after what must have seemed like an eternity the pair broke apart and land on opposite tree branches glaring at each other.

As the Kyuubi stood thinking furiously of a way to end the engagement in their favor he was surprised to feel a pair of hands wrap around his ankles an instant before he was hurled into the tree trunk beside him and then flung across the field and into the ground causing him to roll uncontrollably before slamming into the base of the trunk.

* * *

Sarutobi appeared in the monitoring room to see the entire room crowded around a monitor seemingly frozen in shock or fear at whatever they are watching. "What's the situation Anko." Barked the Hokage as power rolled off of him in waves showing everybody in the room just why he was the Hokage. Anko spun around with her mouth hanging open. For once it appeared that she was at a loss for words.

Behind her Ibiki snapped to attention and responded for his counterpart. "Sir it appears that Orochimaru has infiltrated the chuunin exams disguised as a genin in a bid to capture Uchiha Sasuke. He was caught in the act and interrupted by Uzumaki Naruto and the Uzumaki boy as since begun transforming and exuding large amounts of the Kyuubi's chakra. He seems to be out of control. Currently the battle seems to be pretty balanced but I don't believe Orochimaru is going full out right now. I believe he is just trying to escape as he's made several attempts already only to be blocked by the boy." He responded

Ibiki I want you to stay here and monitor the situation to keep us informed on route. Anko I want you to take these three chuunin with you and reach the rest of team Naruto and Team Sasuke. You are to evacuate them to the tower and wait for further instructions. Is that clear" he ordered in a tone that made it clear there was no room for argument. Both jonin nodded and saluted before Anko and the chuunin disappeared in clouds of smoke.

Just as the Hokage was about to leave Ibiki yelled out in alarm causing the Hokage to spin around to look at the monitor just as the remaining members of team Naruto burst into the newly formed clearing, landing amongst the destruction and freezing up in surprise, or alarm. He wasn't sure which but he did know that it wouldn't matter much either way if he didn't get to them soon. Spinning on his heal the Hokage disappeared in a swirl of leaves to catch up with the forces he had already sent on the way.

* * *

Orochimaru stood back breathing heavily and more furious then he could remember being in a long time. This fucking little runt just wouldn't get out of his way and he could feel the Hokage and his forces getting close. Just as he thought he was going to have to fight his way through the Hokage's forces he caught sight of something from the corner of his eye that caused an evil smirk to cross his features as he began to laugh.

"I'm tired of these games my dear Naruto-kun. You should have just left me leave, now it will be your little friends who suffer." And with that he turned and zipped towards Hinata and Shino as fast as he could with the Kyuubi brat following an instant behind him. He smiled evilly to himself as he called forth his sword and swung it at the Hyuuga princess's neck with glee. His smirk slipped only slightly as the boy with her stepped in front of the blow and was barely able to block it with a kunai. Improvising he swung his leg out at lightning speeds and slammed it into the boys chest sending him flying into the girl behind him and causing the both of them to rocket into the trees on the edge of the clearing with a sickening crunch.

As he expected the Kyuubi brat changed course almost immediately upon seeing the blow and raced towards his friends allowing him to make his escape. As he raced away from the scene he vaguely registered the sudden spike in power and the echoing roar which made its way through the forest. He smiled again hoping he had killed the brat's friends. He loved to make people suffer and in this case he would enjoy it all the more because of what the brat had cost him.

* * *

The Kyuubi rushed into the forest to find Shino and Hinata lying unconscious and obviously injured at the base of one of the large trees. As the Kyuubi stared down at the pair and the slow trickle of blood escaping from the corner of Hinata's mouth he felt an uncontrollable rage flash over him clouding his scenes in the most intense bloodlust he had felt since the day he had attacked Konoha.

Inside the boys mind Naruto awoke. The overwhelming bloodlust coming from the Kyuubi clouding his mind Naruto found himself giving into his most basic instincts. As dozens of chakra signatures appeared on the edge of the clearing moving towards them only one thought range clearly in his mind… _PROTECT_"

With an otherworldly roar Naruto turned towards the intruders and two additional chakra tails sprouted from the boys back. The entire area was once again washed in a violent storm of fiery chakra with the only exception being the area immediately behind the boy where the two teens lay. Dropping to all fours Naruto prepared to attack the intruders with no understanding of who they truly were.

* * *

The Hokage and his ninja burst through a thick wall of debris and stopped dead in shock at the scene before them. In front of them was a burned out crater of massive propositions. The ground was blacked in one area where the remnants of the third column of crimson chakra for the night was only just now totally disappearing and in the centre of the column stood what they knew to be Naruto despite the fact that it looked nothing like him. Behind him swung six massive crimson tails of pure fiery chakra that billowed in the wind and just behind him were the fallen bodies of his two teammates, seemingly unharmed by the violent wave of chakra moments ago. Naruto was on all fours and was completely covered in the crimson chakra which had formed into the shape of a large red fox. He had two large fox ears made of chakra on his head and even from the distance they could just barely see his blood red eyes which seemed to narrow on them dangerously.

"The demon has slaughtered those kids. We must stop him now before he destroys the village. Kill him" one of the Anbu roared as he rushed forward before anyone else could recover from there shock. Three others followed quickly behind and Sarutobi was able to stop only one before they got out of his reach. In an instant the foxes eyes swung from the present shinobi to the three rushing forms and its mouth opened letting loose another terrible roar.

"You fools come back." Sarutobi yelled in warning to the three ninja but it was no use and in the very next moment the fox had burst into motion appearing amidst the three in the blink of an eye. Its right claw flashed almost too fast for the Hokage to follow and was followed closely by two tails at equal speeds. All three attacks found their marks as the claw sliced clean through the jugular of the right most Anbu while the two tails impaled the others, instantly turning them into towering infernos as the chakra burned them alive.

The fox opened its mouth and to the shock of all the present shinobi it seemed to speak one word. _PROTECT_ it growled in its gravelly voice before roaring at them again. The aging Hokage's eyes widened to monumental proportions in surprise and understanding as he felt the rest of his ninja prepare to attack. Knowing he had only a moment to prevent a blood bath he acted quickly.

"Stop all of you." he yelled at the attending ninja before addressing Naruto. "Naruto please stop this. You know you can trust me. I have always been there for you. I swear to you that no harm will come to your teammates but you must let me help. They're hurt and there is nothing you can do for them. You can not even touch them without hurting them. If you do not let me help they could die. Trust me please" he begged as he began moving forward slowly despite the shouts of warning from the assembled ninja.

Naruto paused for a moment as if considering him. Something in the back of his mind told him that he could trust this man but he couldn't put his finger on it. His basic instincts told him to kill them all to protect his precious mate and friend but something held him back. Growling in annoyance as he took several steps back, returning to the side of his teammates, Naruto made no move to attack. Deep within Naruto's mind the cloud of bloodlust began to lift if only slightly.

Feeling this was at least somewhat of an accomplishment the aging Hokage continued to move forward. As Sarutobi reached the trio Naruto's instincts suddenly won out as they screamed for him to kill this stranger who dared approach his mate. The fox suddenly tensed and roared viciously raising itself back to its feet from its crouched position and preparing to strike. Just as Sarutobi was about to jump back to a safer distance something amazing happened.

From behind the fox Hinata opened her eyes slightly and looked straight at the boy before calling out weakly to Naruto. The effect was instantaneous. Where as moments before the boy had been about to kill the only man he had ever considered a grandfatherly figure he was now completely unconcerned with the aging ninja and instead was fixated on his fallen mate.

All at once the chakra cloak surrounding Naruto broke and faded away as Naruto fell to his knees at her side. He scooped her up in his arms and began to cry softly as he felt the last of his energy failing him. A few moments later as Hinata held onto him tightly she felt the last of his energy fade and he pitched forward on top of her. Still hugging him tightly she felt the world swim around her and she too succumb to the darkness.

* * *

It was two days later that Naruto awoke in the hospital wing of the forest tower to see Hinata sitting by his bedside holding his hand. Shino sat off to the side of the room reading a magazine on rare insect types found within fire country and to his immense surprise Sarutobi sat in a comfortable looking chair by the door.

"Hin…ata…chan" Naruto mumbled as he tried to sit up only to be pushed back down by said girl. Hinata seemed to look him over for a brief moment before squealing like a little girl and throwing herself on him. "Naruto-kun. You're awake. I was so worried about you" she said before remembering she was not alone and blushing bright red as she sprang away from him like she had been burned.

Naruto turned his attention to Sarutobi after smiling back at Hinata and saying hello to Shino briefly. "Old man…" he said apprehensively as the memories of the final moments in the forest came back to him. Sarutobi only smiled kindly in response. "Hello Naruto. I am glad to see you are well. It is good that you awoke today or I would have been forced to disqualify you from the exam. For now do not worry about what happened in the forest. You have until tomorrow at noon to rest if you still wish to continue with the exam at which point you will be required to attend a meeting within the main hall of the tower on the first floor." He said and with that he turned and left the room leaving the three teammates to catch up.


End file.
